


Marrow

by YamiYugiPuzzleshipper



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Blood, Death, Gore, Lycanthropes, M/M, Mental Instability, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Violence, Werewolf Mates, Werewolf Mentalities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:33:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 29,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27296461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YamiYugiPuzzleshipper/pseuds/YamiYugiPuzzleshipper
Summary: "I'm restless and I want to bite you. I literally just saw your spine when you slouched and now all I can think about is how much I wish I could crack your bones between my teeth and suck the marrow out."
Relationships: Atem/Mutou Yuugi, Mazaki Anzu | Tea Gardner & Mutou Yuugi, Mutou Yuugi & Yami Yuugi, Mutou Yuugi/Yami Yuugi, Yami Yuugi & Kisara
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	Marrow

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: Blood, Gore, Violence, Major Character Deaths, Cursing  
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Yu-Gi-Oh.  
> The lycanthropes are modeled from Thiess of Kaltenbrun's idea of werewolves as the Hounds of God (Hounds of Heave in Shadows That Bleed) and Lupa in Roman mythology. She was the one who suckled Romulus and Remus. They're not the Hollywood version of the werewolf as anthromorphic wolves, but actual wolves from the wild. They're more balanced out than their sister species (the hellhounds).  
> According to research, in the wild, wolves that have access to a full carcass go straight for the bones first in order to get to the marrow. Studies have shown similarly that dogs will do the same when given a meal that consists of marrow, heart, and liver. Predators always go for the marrow first because of its nutritional aspects and then for the organs. Wolves rarely get the opportunity for this in the wild due to bears and ravens, however.

Marrow

Wide blue-ringed amethyst eyes regarded the lithe shape leaned over the display case of the various flavors and colors of ice cream. The position over the glass had their hands against the glass, brows furrowed and jaw clenched in concentration. Their lips pursed slightly.

Heat made perspiration appear where their hands touched the clear barrier. Their head was tilted as they worked on the task of making the choice of what was to be placed in their waffle cone. In truth, they looked like a hyperactive child faced with the difficulty of a math problem far beyond their mental capacity. And Yugi could not help but smirk at the irony of the image before him.

He had already ordered a neapolitan combo, though he had put it off until he was sure that his companion got his cone as well. He had a feeling that, had he gotten it already, held the cold treat in his fingers and begun to eat, it would have disappeared _long_ before the other made up his mind. So, now, he smiled and shook his head in amusement. He leaned back against the glass, smiling, and watched him through his long lashes.

"Okay, I think I'll go with mocha cookie double chunk," he finally said. He cleared his throat awkwardly when he cast a glance at Yugi and Yugi rolled his eyes with a grin. That was the flavor he had been leaning over the entire span of the thirty minutes they'd been there. How could he have not noticed its name before then?

"Wow, Yami, I applaud you," he teased. He clapped his hands lazily, laughing as the other teen turned to him with a playful scowl. When he snarled low in his throat, Yugi could not stop laughing. He took his own cone as the light-haired girl behind the counter passed him his easier choice and went about scooping Yami's.

"And I officially declare you an asshole, Yugi," the other teased. He took his cone with clear excitement, licking at it happily. And Yugi could not stop himself from staring. Each little swipe made Yami's tongue a soft tan color, small bits of cookie like tiny dabs of smeared chocolate.

"How am I the asshole? You're the one who made her keep the shop open all night. It's one in the morning, aibou!" Yugi snorted.

Yami pursed his lips momentarily. His eyes shot to the pale-haired girl and he smiled at her awkwardly. And then he turned back to Yugi with a roll of his eyes and a haughty noise. "Oh, _shut up_ ," he stated. And then, just as he had when they'd walked in, he leaned over the counter to kiss the girl's forehead.

Another unfamiliar pang of jealousy swept through him at the sight of Yami's lips against her skin. His mouth threatened to tug into an unhappy, pitiful frown. But then Yami pulled away again, shoulder pressing against Yugi's and his hand reached forward. Yugi hesitated a moment, surprised by the gesture. But Yami easily uncurled one of his hands from his ice cream cone to encompass his once more. His palms were still warm, a soft and steady heat that always remained despite the chill of the air or temperature of a room.

When Yugi was cold enough, he usually asked Yami to hold his hand. It was comforting, but it also did well to warm his fingers. And Yami knew this. He would smirk at him each time, then twine their fingers and squeeze gently before walking him home or sitting with him at the house.

Yami didn't look back this time, however. He made an immediate move for the door, shouldering it open. And Yugi allowed himself to be dragged into the deserted street, smiling faintly as he moved to match his pace. He was only slightly surprised by the way his steps naturally fell in sync with the other's. And he couldn't help but laugh when Yami swung their arms.

Yugi was relatively sure the sight of them eating ice cream and walking around so late at night was not common.

But then, he had never been able to refuse Yami before. Even after they had become a couple a month and a half before, he had trouble doing so. And he had not been able to stop himself from laughing and agreeing when the other had climbed in through his window at midnight. And he knew now that Yami had been fully prepared—or perhaps _trying_ to prepare himself—for Yugi to deny him this little outing. He had been showcasing his nerves in a subtle way, keeping his eyes lowered most of their conversation. He'd risked little fleeting glances and hurried to fiddle around with little objects in Yugi's room until the smaller teen had finally become more awake.

Yugi had been so dumbstruck and bewildered by his boyfriend crawling in through his window that it had stunned him. Between his shock of waking up to him whispering his name and the fact that he'd quickly flinched away when Yugi had slurred his name tiredly, he'd had a harder time waking up than usual. Yami had only ever used his window when something was going on at his house. Yami had told him before that things could get so stressful there that he had to flee at times. And, so, when Yami had told him he sometimes went to the woods and waited things out, he had told him instead to spend the night with him. Usually that meant Yami would come in, close and lock the window behind him and then settle on top of the covers while Yugi was beneath. He hadn't wanted to pressure him, so he'd made it clear he wouldn't sleep with him beneath the blankets.

But this had been different.

Yami had not been anxious at first. He'd been genuinely _excited_ instead. He'd wanted Yugi to jump for joy with him at the idea. And, when Yugi had struggled to comprehend it all, he'd felt rejected. It had taken him a few minutes, but Yugi had eventually gotten his wits together long enough to find his voice and pay him more attention than his blind staring.

And it had taken only a little enthusiasm in his voice to make the other raise his bright red eyes and peer at him through his lashes. After a few seconds, he had become exuberant again, smiling happily and all but purring with satisfaction. Yugi had to admit that he had spent most of the time he'd talked staring at his lips, however. And he'd been more interested in making out with him than he had listening.

He _was_ sixteen, after all. He was always horny when he first woke up—even when he was woken up to his boyfriend in his room without much reason.

Yugi was glad to have agreed to take part in his surprise, however. It had made Yami happy. And, as they came across the playground, Yami release his hand to throw himself into the swing nearest him. His eyes were brighter than ever, almost glowing, and the light from the streetlamp nearest them made them seemingly translucent for a split second. Yugi smiled and took the spot next to him after a moment. He grabbed the chilled, thick links of metal, smiling at the sensation of taking a seat. He had not done it in so long and he felt almost as if he were fourteen again, when he'd last played on swings.

"Can I kiss you?"

He blurted the question out before he could think it through. And then he stared at Yami, flustered by the cold and his own awkward plea. But he was laughing when he saw Yami's face. The red-eyed boy had paused mid-lick, staring at him with a gaze as wide as the moon. He blinked, then withdrew his tongue after a moment, wetting his lips and making a soft smacking noise.

Yugi smothered a small, childish laugh. Traces of mocha ice cream were left on his lips, lightly staining his golden-bronze skin. But he was leaning forward, head tilted, and Yugi hurried to meet him halfway.

He decided he liked mocha ice cream. It was delicious against his tongue. But he was drawn away from that entirely. Yami had reached forward, touching his jaw, tipping his head slightly downwards to give them better access. Yami's tongue was always a small bit hotter than his own, with a bit more strength when he mapped out his mouth. Yugi had never been one to compete with him. He loved it when Yami traced his mouth and then let him do the same.

Yugi pulled back panting. His eyes feathered open, breathing white puffs before his face. The disturbance of mist in the air gave a pleasant momentary shield against the bright streetlight those few paces away. The bulb was stronger, harsher, because kids sometimes cut through the playground to make it to their houses on time from cram schools. A single gym sat only a few feet to the right, the climbing equipment painted metal that led to a slide that curved four times around the supporting beam. The tunnel tube that connected the various levels of the play set was bright yellow, one so intense it hurt his eyes with the glare it cast. Yugi nearly squinted at the fierce note of color.

The stray bark, shredded and brightly colored in red and brown, shifted beneath his sneakers. He almost flailed, grabbing tightly onto the metal of the swing's chain. They shook and the seat twisted awkwardly with his movement. Yami's hand was holding the links beneath his hand, he noted in surprise. And the earth was still soft despite the chill of autumn air, dark black like fresh soil, and he caught his balance again quickly.

Yugi couldn't be sure how he'd lost his balance to begin with. He'd been looking at the tunnel system. But it wasn't too terribly important, he realized. But Yami was staring at him with a startled, confused expression. And Yugi could see a visible strain in the tendons of his fingers where he gripped the metal so tightly.

"You okay?" The words were slightly breathless, yet teasing. The light from the streetlamp made his pupils look fathomless and deep, as if they were muddy pools of blackness.

Yugi smiled at him, turning away, and released his grip on the swing for a second. He could see Yami staring at him with that same expression. Something tugged in his heart, though he wasn't sure if it was with amusement or surprise. Yami had seemed so alarmed. And it wasn't like falling out of the swing would have done much to hurt him. He'd lose an ice cream at the most.

He turned back to it, licking at the little grooves that were soggy and filled with the frozen dessert. He'd always loved it like that.

"Yeah," he said after a moment. He licked his lips. "Just moved a little too fast, I guess."

"I'll say," Yami returned, smirking. "You looked like you were going to faceplant."

"Oh, shut up," Yugi laughed. He glanced out over the playground for a moment. The grass surrounding the area was a brilliant green. And there was a small hint of frost that made them shimmer. He kicked his legs lazily once, but did not bother to try to go very high. He worked on his ice cream instead, glancing sideways at the other boy.

Yami was scarfing his down, clearly undaunted by the repercussions to his teeth. He never once flinched, as if the cold did not bother him. And Yugi was jealous for a split second as he methodically picked at his.

Yami swallowed his lash mouthful, gripped both chains of his swing, and began to kick his legs. He was sailing so high that he almost went over the top of the metal structure. Yugi tipped his head up, smiling, as Yami's hair whipped with the speed he went. And, it occurred to him, all Yami had to do was put a little more into his kick and he'd go right over the top.

But it ended abruptly. Yami jumped off. And he thought for sure he'd land on his face. He stiffened, eyes wide. A small whimper bubbled up in his throat. He didn't know what damage he might do. It could be a simple scratch to his cheeks or a more solid impact. He could break a tooth. He could fracture something if he tried to catch himself the wrong way.

But, in the seemingly endless time it took for him to land, Yami caught himself.

His legs pulled forward, center of balance curved back so that his spine arched forward. His shoes touched the ground toes-first, his balance found when his soles touched the ground. His entire body folded forward for a split second. His fingers tips found the ground directly in front of his sneakers.

Yugi blinked stupidly.

Yami straightened, dusting himself off. And then grinned at him brightly, teeth bright from the streetlamp.

His hand was stretched out, palm open in invitation. Yugi smiled slightly, reaching forward. The awe in his senses made his skin tingle. It was as if, for some reason, in that split second between his fingers moving forward to touch his warmed skin, Yami were offering him all the freedom the world had to offer.

The thought drifted in his mind for a shattered moment.

And then it was gone.

* * *

The leaves offered nice shelter from the sun, the veins soft against the bright yellow of the foliage. The sunlight made them look odd, almost like still will-o-wisps. None of them moved but for the single stir of action from a small gentle wind. The twigs supporting them dipped and swayed. A bird chattered softly somewhere amidst the taller arches of wood and bark. And he could hear a few squirrels running along in the maze of brown and red and yellow. The branches dipped beneath the slight weight of them. And the soft rustle of their movements and the leaves brushing against each other made Yugi tip his head up. He had to resist the urge to stop and stare. Yami was still moving ahead of him, determined to lead him along to whatever it was he was so interested in showing him.

Straw crunched softly beneath their shoes. The ground was soggy, molded to their prints with each step. Yugi could hear the fallen pine squelching with the effort of releasing some of the water. Most of the droplets collected in the leaves had fallen from the animals moving about them, the branches dipping to scatter them away, or had dried beneath the sunlight. The air had grown almost unbelievably hot. It pressed against his skin, threatening to bring forth sweat, and it was enough to make him want to turn back. At least at the house there was air conditioning and video games.

A lone drop splashed onto his head. It spread coolly against his skin, making him moan softly. His eyes became half-lidded and his vision was obscured by his long lashes. He tipped his head back, sighing softly.

"Aibou, where are we going?" he asked after a moment.

Yami did not pause in moving forward. But he did glance over his shoulder to grin at him brightly. "It's a surprise," he teased. A branch cracked under his foot, loud enough that it sounded like the boom of a shotgun. The thick air amplified it tenfold, and a few birds took off in startled flight. The reaction was immediate.

Yami froze but for his head snapping up. He tracked the birds effortlessly for a moment. And Yugi swore he was so still that he was not even breathing. And then he shrugged it off. "The trail up here is really nice," he said, turning to him. "You can find a lot of animals up here—especially the serows. You can find a bunch of them. They just pass through. And sometimes wild boars come up here for a little while, too. But you know what's _really_ cool about the serows? When they run away from you, they look back over their shoulders to see if you're following."

"Something tells me they wouldn't survive in a horror movie," Yugi snorted. And his body felt warm with happiness for a moment. Yami's entire face had lit up at the topic of conversation. It was mindless chatter, but it made Yami seem so endlessly happy. And Yugi had no qualms admitting he loved it more than anything.

Nature was something that must have kept Yami grounded and happy. He seemed so at ease now. Whenever it was brought up, he was one of the first to talk during class discussions. And the freedom that seemed to exist within the other was as simple as the wind when it stroked his skin.

"Definitely not." He spun around again. He breathed in deeply once, then sighed and glanced around. When he reached back for him, Yugi hurried to grab his hand again. The red-eyed boy squeezed his hand and Yugi was amazed by how easily he fell in step with him again. He fell in step with each of his prints, which were almost impossible to see. Yami seemed to barely put enough weight into his steps to leave an impression.

"There's one." Yami said it quickly, voice so low that if the air had not been so still, Yugi would never have heard it amidst the animals scurrying about in the undergrowth. He turned his head to where Yami was already staring.

The animal was in a small thicket of fern leaves between several tall trees. It was small, low to the ground with a compact strength. Its face was a beautiful smoky silver-white, with gray along the snout that covered beneath its eyes and upwards along the skull in something of a four-leaf clover design. Its fur was bushy, fluffed out in the growing cold, with a coat that reminded him of a husky. Each hair was stretched to its fullest, puffed outwards. Its nose was a large black muscle like a dog's. A single air of horns rested on its forehead, marked by a large patch of black fluff to match its large ears.

The chest was the color of its face, as was the inside of its legs. Large, beady black eyes stared back at them. They were shaped like almonds. Its black legs looked hoofed or maybe cloven but Yugi could not tell. It rested on a slope and the angle made it impossible to tell.

Yugi blinked wide eyes, tilting his head slightly. He wondered if it was smaller and lankier when it was summer. But it was still unnaturally warm and humid at the moment. And he wondered how it was not exhausted. It had to be hot.

But, as he considered, he realized something else.

The animal had not spared him the smallest instance of attention. It was staring at Yami instead. Its gaze opened wide after a moment. And it turned and fled. A whistling snort of warning left it. And Yugi blinked in bewilderment. Yami, however, stiffened visibly. His eyes narrowed, tracking it. And Yugi heard his breath come out in an ancient, ragged exhale.

* * *

The fried chicken left a delicious scent. It swept through the kitchen and Yugi's mouth watered as he put the bag down. The spices in the batter were unusually strong, the breading thick where it coated the fleshy meat. And it was cooked to perfection. Yami was seated with wide eyes, licking his lips. Yugi thought briefly of a dog at attention, waiting for a bone, and then felt immediately bad for it. He opened the bag.

He was starving when he picked out some plates and grabbed his own drumstick, dropping it onto his dish and taking a seat. But he realized Yami had not moved. He furrowed his brows. "What? Don't you like fried chicken?" he asked curiously.

Yami gave him a small smile. "Oh, yes, I love fried chicken," he said. He grabbed the other dish, picking out a thigh and taking a seat next to him. Yugi waited for him to take a bite. But the seconds passed. And Yami instead began to play with the cup of water he'd gotten while Yugi had grabbed their food from the restaurant down the street. He'd teased him that he wasn't allowed to dig through his things when he was gone and then wandered off. And some small part of him had been curious as to whether he would or not.

But when he'd come back, Yami had been leaning against the counter drinking some water. He'd had his phone in his hand, was reading something, and had not moved from the spot he'd left him. He hadn't even turned on the television. And it was clear he had not moved from the position. He'd seemed slightly distracted, not the least bit rushed or upset as he might have been had he been digging through Yugi's things. And Yugi _knew_ how to read his face for the most part. He would have known.

So, finally, when Yugi couldn't ignore it any longer, he took the first bite. He glanced over when he saw movement in the corner of his eye. Yami had found his appetite again, digging into his chicken. His eyes were glazed, satisfied and hungry, and his lips were pulled into a small smile.

"Good, huh?"

He wondered if Yami was self-conscious about eating around other people. Maybe that was what made him wait for him to take the first bite. But he didn't bother to dwell on it. Maybe one day he would ask. Maybe he wouldn't. Yami was allowed to have a couple of quirks.

"Perfect," Yami purred. He licked his lips and grinned at him warmly, then dug in again. Yugi plucked out the other drumstick and gulped down his food, picking out his next piece as Yami did the same. He had to admit that his appetite had skyrocketed now. Eating just a piece of buttered toast before he'd rushed off to meet Yami for their movie date had been miserable.

Yugi was full when he finished his fourth piece. He settled back comfortably in his seat, rubbing his stomach with satisfaction. Yami had finished his as well, sipping at his cup of water for a moment. And then he picked up a bone, bringing it to his teeth. Yugi blinked, then watched with a mixture of wonder and curiosity and mild disgust as he cracked the bone between his molars. Yami hardly seemed to notice his stare, teeth working at the piece of skeleton. His eyes were narrowed in mild concentration but his stomach emitted another soft growl of hunger. Yugi wondered briefly at his metabolism and then wondered if chewing on that bone like he was did something to appease his frustration.

It snapped almost effortlessly, with a softer undertone like a piece of meat sizzling. The sound of it splintering made Yugi turn to him more pointedly now. "Is…is that actually good?" he asked awkwardly.

Yami blinked, glancing at him in surprise. "It can be, yes, but it's brain food, too, so I guess it's pretty good either way." A sheepish expression passed over his face. He pulled the bone away. "Do you want me to stop?"

"No, no, go ahead, Yami. I just didn't know that anyone actually ate it. I mean, I remember Jonouchi doing it one time when we all split a bucket of chicken and he decided he was still hungry. He took every bone and ate the marrow out of it. I just thought he was weird, but now you're doing it too…" He shook his head and offered him a small smile. But he knew it had the opposite effect of calming the other boy.

Because Yami slowly put the bone down on his plate and his fingers twitched with the telltale sign that he felt awkward and didn't know what he should do to alleviate it. "I can stop if it makes you uncomfortable—"

"No, go ahead, aibou. I don't mind it!" He paused for a moment, hesitating, and glanced at Yami with an unsure expression. "Do you, uh, want mine too, or…?"

There was a single momentary pause, so fast that it almost didn't exist. "No, that's okay. I'm okay. Thank you, aibou."

Yugi raised a brow but shrugged as Yami cracked another piece of bone that broke straight in half in his mouth. The other teen startled slightly at the splintering noise, the way that it seemed to burn in his ears for a split second before dying away again completely.

* * *

His jawbone popped with an almost metallic snap. Yugi shifted his lower jaw back and forth. Yami looked up in surprise. Yugi offered him a sheepish look, showing off both rows of teeth as he worked to massage his jaw.

"That was really weird," he mumbled, blushing a little brighter. He grinned at him playfully as he picked out a handful of popcorn to throw into his mouth. He crossed his legs, turning back to the TV to watch the movie they'd picked out. He could still feel Yami's eyes on his face for a long minute. But when Yugi glanced at him again, Yami turned away immediately. "Oh, well."

For a single second, Yugi felt a small trill of fear in his spine. It had looked almost, in the way Yami stared at the TV so fixedly, as if the red-eyed teen had been thinking about the way those bones had snapped between his teeth two days before. He had looked so startled by the sound. But there had been a light in his eyes—faded now, but still there—that said he had been _aroused_. But Yugi couldn't tell what kind of arousal it was. It didn't seem sexual, in truth.

It was almost more…as if he'd struck a flame in him somewhere.

Yami tilted his head away, but Yugi wasn't oblivious to it.

It was small and low, nearly swallowed away by the sound of the movie. But it was there.

Somewhere, from some place in his darkest depths, that same ancient panting breath had come forth.

And Yugi realized that his growing affection for Yami was not the only thing that seemed to change between them.

* * *

It was the eyes that gave it away. Yugi had not meant to do much more than snap a picture of a serow for a class project. But when he had stumbled upon made his head swim. His eyes were burning with how wide they were, horrified and confused.

The serow had come through the trees, running like a jackrabbit. But it kept looking over its shoulder.

At first Yugi could not see the animal chasing it. It was using a lower ledge in the light snow, beneath his line of vision. The goat-antelope dashed up the hill. Then it skittered and nearly lost its balance. A stone it had leaped onto fell and clattered down. Yugi expected it to go down with it. But instead something else caught it.

The animal shot forward from the ridge beneath and Yugi froze.

It was a mass of sleek black and silver. Touches of bright gold served as its undercoat. It leaped nimbly up the snow, nails digging into the earth. Its rough paw pads kept its balance expertly. The snow and hard-packed dirt did nothing to slow it. Large jaws opened, stretched so far Yugi thought perhaps it could engulf the other animal's head entirely. The sunlight hit its pelt in a glimmering glow. His eyes hurt momentary. Then they focused again.

The serow let out an unholy scream. Yugi flinched. It was dragged back to the ground forcefully. The predator pressed a paw into its shoulder, pinning it against its struggles.

The blow would have killed it regardless. Its skull had to be crushed.

The serow let loose a small kick. And Yugi felt sick.

The animal was a canine. The fur was barely ruffled, perfectly smooth. It covered a lean body that stretched out to take up the space the serow wished to use to flee. Its shadow seemed to encompass the herbivore. But it was not so terribly large. He thought it had to be half his own height. Its legs were long, slender. Its paws were huge. Its nails were long and thick. And its teeth were bright white and his fangs sharp. The insides of its toes were lightly webbed.

Yugi blinked and shook his head. The canine was not one he had ever seen outside of books. Had it not been one of his favorite predators, he would never have recognized it. Another person would have run screaming. Feral dogs were not uncommon. And they were sometimes extremely vicious. But wolves were supposed to be _extinct_ throughout all of Japan. Yugi closed his eyes tightly. Then he opened them slowly again.

It had to be an illusion.

But the sight did not change in front of him. The large canine was still there, lithe and lean and powerful.

" _Son of a bitch_."

The animal's head snapped up. It released its prey altogether. Its ears flicked about rapidly. And then its eyes locked on him. Yugi fought the urge to smack himself. He swallowed hard, suppressing a shiver.

Wolves were speculated to be nearsighted. But this one saw him completely. He knew it. The distance between them did not matter. And, for a moment, with the way its head was tipped downward, Yugi could not see its eyes. He assumed they were brown or gray or a glowing golden. But he had to admit that any of those colors set against its face would have seemed strange by all means.

It had a pelt like that of a red fox in its silver phase.

The nose was give a wide ring of bright silver that spread upwards in a mass of dark black that surged to encompass its eyes, coloring its brows and stops. A line of black ran from the corners of its almond-shaped eyes like drawn kohl. Mirrored on both sides, the lines stretched into silver that spread about its cheeks. Darker gray made the slope of its skull, spreading to its ears where bright red made up the edges of them.

The color disappeared into solid black along the tips. But the long, fluffy furs within both was given a soft golden twinge with silver at the base. The dorsal cape of fur along the base of its spine beneath its shoulders stretched in bright silver and gold amidst long black guard hairs. The curve of its broad, powerful shoulder was pronounced in golden that glowed a cinnamon shade in the direct sunlight.

A long line of black stretched down the front of its forelegs to the base of the joint of its paws. A chest of white mingled with tufts of random silver and black and tawny faded in a sharp v-shape like the curve of hipbones. White light the base of its muzzle stretched across its underbelly but seemed to disappear into light tan and a deep black along both hind legs. Silver hairs spread across its hind legs where the black was not solid, giving it more coloring. And gold began to make a more noticeable appearance along the base of its tail. The long strands of guard hairs fell in a beautiful feathery design of gold with a stripe of black layered with silver, disappearing into the signature dark tip.

And, as mesmerized as Yugi was by the sight, he felt fear crash through him quickly. How was he supposed to fight it off? If it turned on him, what was he supposed to do? He had never been chased by a dog. And what if this wolf was aggressive? It would not take much for the canine to rip him to pieces.

The only weapon he had was a smart phone. And he doubted that would save him. He could probably blind it with the flash. But the wolf had teeth built to crush bone and tear through skin. The canines were two inches long, meant to puncture and shred. He was defenseless against it.

And it did not help that the animal was larger than what he was used to seeing in movies or documentaries. It had health and weight on its side. And he knew of wolves launching themselves at speeds of fifty-six miles per hour when they were truly fearful and felt threatened. He knew of them running for hours at thirty-six miles and reaching heights of sixty at the most when they ran at a full sprint.

He barely hit ten when he was truly scared out of his mind. It had saved him from bullies but this was a _wolf_. Logic, however, said that the wolf would not hunt him. They did not hunt humans. They were scared of them. They were usually extremely timid and ran when they spotted one. And, if it had not been for the fact that it had food to protect, it likely would have done the same.

And wolves did not kill humans unless to protect a member of the pack or when they were starving to death. Rabies made them fearless and freed them of inhibitions that they would have otherwise had. So they would kill then if they crossed paths with a human. But they would never hunt them unless the circumstances demanded it.

So he stood still, watching it, and froze in horror as its head rose to look upon him more fully, giving him sight of its eyes.

Bright, blood red eyes burned into his, and the recognition that was shared between the two of them made his stomach twist with shock.

Yami.

* * *

Yugi was relieved to have gotten a week of absence from Yami. The other boy had not contacted him in the slightest. In fact, he had not shown up to school for their shared classes either. In truth, it was somewhat horrifying as well. Because he did not know what state Yami was in. And he didn't know if he'd triggered something in him or not. What if he was enraged and decided to kill him? Or he turned around and did so to someone else?

But Yugi also felt tired and sad without him there. He'd had too much time to think about the situation and especially about Yami in particular. And the fact that he was nowhere to be found was enough to make him queasy at times. So, when a week of avoidance passed, he'd sucked it up and texted him. He'd asked him to meet him at the cafe near his house.

But the moment Yami came into the room, Yugi knew he'd jumped the gun. Yami was completely silent when he walked inside. And, when he glanced around, he wore the expression of a dog struck far too many times by an abusive master. He had not completely looked in his direction, in fact. Instead he'd seemingly scented him out, then awkwardly picked his way over to the table.

Yugi felt even more unbelievable stupid when he remembered the outfit he'd chosen. It been unusually warm all day, despite the snowfall days before. And so he had opted for a simple outfit. It consisted of his usual, a black tank top with an armband on his left bicep and a leather bracelet on his right wrist, his hips given the comfortable fit of black skinny jeans and several loose belts.

Yami took one look at him, then froze. His eyes grew wide, dilating. And he abruptly looked towards the doors as if he thought it might be better to flee. When he turned back, it was with apparent reluctance. And he took his seat with a small grimace on his face. Yugi realized only then how much of an awkward fit it was. The booth was in the corner, with two sets of leather seats and nothing to mark a barrier between them. Yugi wasn't sure he actually wanted a barrier but his mind was racing tenfold now. The sight of him made him unsure now.

Perhaps he should have waited a little longer.

For a moment they were silent and then the barista came forward to check on them. She was smiling at Yugi, and it reminded him that while Yami had been—was _still_?—his boyfriend, he did have others to fall back on if he couldn't figure out to way to work this out. He still had his friends and family. He could still move past this.

He ordered a hot chocolate. Yami blinked and looked at her when she started talking about the "most delicious cappuccino in existence". When he smiled at her, his eyes were full of irritation as he declined the offer more than once. When she left again, he settled back into his seat and glanced around slowly as if he had never been there before. It occurred to Yugi that they hadn't spent time there yet; he'd been meaning to invite him on a date there before school at some point and it hadn't happened.

He settled back more comfortably. Yami refused to look at him. And, after he was satisfied with his observations, he settled for staring at the table. Yugi wanted to wave his hand in his face like he would have Jonouchi or Honda, but he was well aware that Yami was excruciatingly mindful of him.

"Okay, so, I know I called you here," he murmured. Yami tilted his head but didn't raise his eyes. "But I'm starting to think maybe this was really premature. I guess I'm having a…human moment or something. Give me a minute."

Yami merely nodded at him. But his jaw twitched at the word human. He shook his had and turned away again. A deep-rooted hunger began to burn in his stomach, twisting his insides, and his eyes narrowed as his mind flashed with images that shouldn't have been there. Something of Yugi dancing in a wolf pelt that weighed heavily upon his shoulders and shimmered as if alive beneath the sun, every hair glittering and catching the eyes of everyone around them.

Yami barely fought the urge to turn on him, to clench his jaw and glare at him. He was not human, but that was not something Yugi or anyone _else_ had the right to say with such ignorance towards the topic as it was. Stupid humans and how they always assumed to know everything. He shook his head slightly, waiting for the judgment to be passed and for Yugi to make him regret ever attempting to reach out in the first place.

Yugi was silent for a moment, pursing his lips. The barista came to put his cup in front of him and tried again to convince Yami to order something. The red-eyed teen glanced over, forcing a smile onto his face. And, after she explained the cappuccino again, he finally hissed out an order for one before turning away again. But Yugi had never once seen Yami even remotely interested in coffee before. And he had a feeling that it had something to do with his…species in that regard.

"Yami, I…" He pursed his lips for a moment and then swallowed roughly. "I'm honestly going to sound like an idiot when I say this, because it's…really stupid in retrospect…h-how fast this came around. But I…I love you…"

Yami stopped short, staring blankly for a long minute. "I agree. That…is pretty fast." He stayed quiet a moment longer, then shook his head slightly and reached up to pull on his bang. "It's…shared, but it's fast."

Yugi tilted his head, curious but not acknowledging the shared feelings. He moved to grab the straw from where it sat on the plate beside his cup, sharing the heat of it and burning his fingers when he began to tear the plastic wrapper away. "Do you actually feel other people's emotions like dogs do or…is that some kind of scientific misnomer or something?" he asked curiously.

Yami bristled slightly at the implication. Then he shook his head and narrowed his eyes into slits. "Yes, actually, most predatory animals can. Actually, almost every animal can," he finally answered, huffing. "Humans are the only mammals that don't react in such a way. It's words that make humans react, not one's mood and emotions."

He blinked and shook his head slightly. His eyes lowered to take in the steam rising from his drink. He hesitated dropping his straw in but could find nothing else to do. He looked back to Yami again. "I'm sorry, Yami; I'm trying… I just… It's still pretty strange. I mean…w-what do I _call_ you, aibou? Are you a werewolf or a skinwalker? A lycanthrope? A shape-shifter? Are there any actual _differences_ between those?"

Yami pursed his lips. His mouth moved to speak, but he abruptly turned away. The barista placed his coffee down and told him to enjoy. She winked, promising it would be the best cappuccino he ever had. And, as soon as the blue-haired girl walked away, he turned back to Yugi. For a moment he looked at a loss, then let out a long breath that bordered the ancient, panting exhale that he had let out before.

"Werewolf is the generic name for a species of people that can change into only wolves," he said slowly, voice low and smooth to keep others from hearing their conversation. "There are two subspecies of werewolves—lycanthropes and hellhounds. Lycanthropes are…more your traditional werewolf. But hellhounds…have the ability to become corporeal or disappear at will."

Yugi blinked slowly. "I've heard of hellhounds before but I don't think that you're one of them, considering your…fur color."

Yami shook his head. "I am a lycanthrope. I've only got a physical form. But I'm a lot stronger than a hellhound in either…skin." He shook his head and rubbed at his temples for a moment, thinking hard. "Skinwalkers are humans that kill a family member in order to achieve shifting powers and are immortal while in animal forms but need that animal's skin—hence the name. The indigenous people were the first to ever achieve the power, and that is why it is most common among Native Americans and old tribal legends rather than modern people. Shape-shifters are people who can change into an animal that fits their personality, are not immortal but age extremely slowly, and are not as strong as lycanthropes or hellhounds. They do not require a skin or anything else to change, and the ability is learned quickly as opposed to werewolves—it is genetic and cannot be passed through anything other than bloodlines."

"Okay…"

"Look, Yugi, here's the thing. Even if you stay with me after learning this, it does not matter." Yugi startled, eyes wide. Yami was rejecting him? His skin crawled and he chewed his cheek nervously. "It doesn't matter whether I am in my bed, at this cafe, in your house, playing video games or watching TV. I am still going to be what I am. I'm a lycanthrope, a werewolf. I change into a wolf when my emotions are too strong or I've had no time to work with everything that I need. This is what I am."

Yugi nodded after a moment, staring at him. He waited for him to continue. But when Yami stayed silent, Yugi found himself slightly disheartened. "I understand that. I can…accept that, even. Just give me time to figure out what it is that I should and shouldn't do before you start passing judgments, all right, Yami? I've only had a week to deal with it. And I'm _still_ struggling to wrap my head around it."

Yami nodded without hesitation. It was comforting to him that Yugi would think before he made choices regarding them. That was an immense rarity in and of itself. No other human he knew of would have been able to do more than either become obsessed with the thought of being bitten or have shunned him by now. He heard of it often within the pack, that someone would find out about their "affliction"—as the more melodramatic put it—and shun them or use them as a stepping stone to semi-immortality.

The fact that Yugi was sitting here, thinking rather than trying to leap forward and make a premature decision, said something. The fact that he was even speaking to him now said so much. And it gave him the impulse to lean forward and kiss him. But instead he found himself looking at him, nodding again. He hoped his silence would not be ill-received.

"So, then…tell me the things you think I need to know, Yami. Anything at all—because I don't think I have any questions to ask…"

Yami blinked and nodded slowly. Yugi stirred his beverage and took a sip, wincing from the heat. "All right, well…chocolate will not kill me. I don't eat people. My energy levels are extremely high. I have wolf instincts even in this form. Werewolves as a whole are more animalistic than they are human because they started out as wolves and not humans. You cannot make a deal with the devil to become a werewolf but you can make a deal with wish hound hellhounds and they will give you anything you want but your soul is theirs when you die. Silver gives us hives because we're allergic to it. We hate things that smell too strong. I can hear every heartbeat in this room and if I concentrate, I can hear every one of them in this damn city. I have to hunt a lot because the werewolf's core emotions are centered around freedom, power, curiosity, lust, survival and the need to do as a natural wolf would."

Yugi stared at him for a long minute, searching his face and nodding again slowly. "Okay…" he coaxed, nodding once more and smiling encouragingly.

"We feel emotions almost ten times the rate that people do. We don't sleep much. We have to retain our health or we suffer horribly for it. We feel all the emotions that humans do, but we're more likely to change when we experience too much." He paused, looking at the drinks in front of him and sniffing. He wrinkled his nose immediately after, grimacing. "I run with a pack in which my parents are the alphas. Humans have the wrong assumption about what alphas are. We're far more loyal than any human could hope to be. We tend to eat a lot to keep the Change healthy so that it does not kill us. And I…I have not changed in a while—that day in the woods was the first time since we started dating—so it's making me crazy. I…I'm restless and I want to bite you. I literally just saw your spine when you slouched and now all I can think about is how much I wish I could crack your teeth between my teeth and suck the marrow out."

Yugi's eyes nearly popped out of his head, mouth falling open. Yami held his gaze a moment longer, trying to get the point across fully, and turned away to stare at his drink once more.

"I often get extremely aroused when you speak or move a certain way. I don't know how to curve my energy well and it comes out in different ways depending on how long it has been since my last Change." He fell silent for a moment, narrowing his eyes. "Marrow is extremely important to predators because it's what they normally go for—it's the healthiest part of the animal and it has amazing benefits for them. S-so it's natural for me when I—I'm sorry."

Yugi shook his head slightly. "It's natural, Yami. Don't apologize for it." He let out a small sigh, wincing after another sip. He shook his head at himself and shifted in his seat, looking up. "So, why didn't you change before that time? You had some time to do that. It's not like your insomnia went away or something…"

"No, it didn't. I just… I was so excited with the thought of…being with you that I didn't truly think about that—at all. It didn't really matter to me all that much in comparison."

"So…you're like an excited puppy."

Yami scowled at him. Yugi smirked and snickered, waggling his brows playfully. "That was a _terrible_ pun."

"It was great and you _know_ it," Yugi teased, waggling his brows once more. He was the smallest bit more comfortable now. It was not so terrible, in all honesty. He could understand it, even if it was still somewhat shocking. It was like someone going stir-crazy from being in a house too long. The wolf—his more dominant side, Yugi guessed, since he'd said they came from wolves and not humans—would try to find its way out of its cage.

He smiled at the thought. Wolves were the one animal that humans had never truly been able to tame. They were the only ones too wild and powerful for humans to crush the spirit of. It was why they were called demon dogs and painted out to be such horrifying creatures. Humans didn't know what to do with them and so were afraid of them. Wolves, in all actuality, were far too much like humans, and so that made them threats; something that had to be demonized.

If there was ever an animal Yugi would have compared to him, it would have been the wolf. There would never be another animal that could truly encompass Yami's personality, his willpower, his entire nature.

And it made even more sense now knowing. It explained a lot of the things that had not quite added up for him formerly. It explained Yami landed on his toes when he jumped off the swing. It explained his desire to eat bone marrow. It gave him knowledge of why he had been so distracted when those birds took flight, or his stiffening when the serow ran. It explained the serow's reaction, its huge terrified eyes. It gave him knowledge as to how Yami was so powerful despite his compact frame when he did nothing to work out or build his muscle mass. It also gave him a revelation as to his pickiness about who he associated with. It explained why he had so many walls around him.

Yugi smiled at the thought, though he was not so disillusioned as to think that warm feelings would make up for the differences between them. He knew that it would take time to figure out how to work with it all. He did not even know if it was fully feasible to do.

He leaned forward to sip from his cup, shoulders rising in a stiff rebuttal when he burned his tongue. Red eyes locked on his collarbone for a moment. Yami's shoulders rose, then fell, as he forced himself to relax again. He took in every movement that came with his soft breathing, the slightly quickened beat of his heart due to the pain. Yugi looked at him slowly as he realized this, blinking and tilting his head as he regarded him curiously.

Yami cringed away from him. His eyes fell onto the drink that was posed before him. His red gaze burned, studying the cooling liquid. His expression grew sullen. "I-it's natural instinct," he mumbled. He shook his head. "I'm a predator and I have two forms that are equally powerful when I get an adrenaline rush. That's what I get when I'm around you, Yugi. B-because I crave you…more than I have anything else—ever."

"Crave me?" he repeated, testing the words for a moment. "In what ways?"

He opened and closed his mouth. "A lot of ways," he answered. "Emotionally, sexually, physically, spiritually, mentally…"

Yugi blinked, smiling at him and shaking his head. "You can have me in three of those ways. But I don't think the other two are actually possible, aibou."

Yami opened his mouth, then stopped short. He cleared his throat. "Actually, they are, but I…wanted to talk to you about that before we went our…separate ways today…"

"Okay, and what is it? Go ahead and talk, aibou. We can figure out the rest later."

Yami blinked slowly, narrowing his eyes. "But I'm not sure that I should say it anymore. I am not sure that you would wish to hear…what I had to say…"

"Yami, if I did not want to hear it then I wouldn't be here, remember? So, speak while you still have the chance, okay? I can at least listen to anything you have to say. Just…don't expect something to be immediate. I can bounce back from a _lot_ but I do need a bit of time for this…" He hesitated, licking his lips. "Okay?"

Yami opened his mouth to respond, but his jaw remained open for a moment. His eyes closed as he nodded slightly. He cleared his throat and shook his head, staring at the cup again. "I wanted to tell you that if you… If I wanted to… I wanted to ask you to think about if you would ever want me to…to…to bite you, Yugi…"

Yugi froze in place, blinking. He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed at his lids briefly. "Oh…" he mumbled, shaking his head.

"See? You didn't want to—"

"No, I asked you to say what you had to say," Yugi interrupted sharply. "Yami, I said I wanted to hear all of what you have to say. I just wasn't expecting…"

"I…I only meant to say that because… Well, I am the only werewolf in a pack that's…with a human. It's…extremely dangerous for us—e-especially in an area like Japan. With the absence of wolves, it makes it a lot harder and… Yugi, I'm sorry. I feel like I'm accusing you but I don't mean to and…just…never mind."

"Is it dangerous because of the fact that they might say something? Or is it something else?"

"Well, that's one reason, yes, but there's also the fact that…rejection and breakups can truly hurt us. Wolves…tend to mate for life—or at least werewolves do. Wolves don't as much anymore…due to humans hunting them so constantly and the wilderness being so harsh and difficult to survive. So they generally have to take a pair bond that can be replaced soon after…while leading the pack…to ensure they don't…dissolve into chaos…" Yami trailed off completely, swallowing hard and shaking his head. "Humans are always changing partners and hurting each other. So it tends to hurt werewolves when that happens when they are in relationships with humans."

"Oh…then love is a one-time thing with werewolves, huh?"

"Well, yes. We put our hearts and all into it and we do nothing on small scales. That's why hellhounds are so chaotic—mentally and physically—and why we mate for life. We do things on a grand scale or we do not put effort into it at all. That's…how we do things, Yugi. It's dangerous…being with humans."

He nodded, searching his eyes. Then he turned to peer at the menu over the counter. He knew that none of the choices on the menu were actually any good. They were literally just thrown up there to look pretty, with no actual purpose. Yugi nearly snickered at the idea. He shook his head again.

Yugi leaned forward again, and he glanced back at Yami as his red eyes fell on his back. He could only imagine the way that his spine arched forward so far that he could see the vertebrae at the back of his neck poking out.

He settled back as he caught the cup in his fingers, pulling it to him, and rested against the booth seat. Yami turned away again, blinking at his cup and shaking his head. His stomach churned, burning with desire. His imagine leaped forward with the thought of pressing his fingers into the bumps of Yugi's spinal column until they snapped under his fingers like typewriter keys.

The other boy turned to face him. His blue-violet eyes flickered over his face, taking in the distress that Yami was sure he exuded, and shook his head. When he sighed softly and leaned forward again, his shoulders rose and fell and Yami tried in vain to ignore the soft grind of them shifting beneath his flesh.

* * *

Yugi didn't honestly expect Yami to give a damn when he texted—not after how the meeting at the cafe had seemed to go. He thought it had gone well, but he had still been scared and horribly startled whenever they spoke at times. Yami had become antsy whenever Yugi moved a certain way and so avoidance had become the main priority. They had not seen each other at all over the weekend and Yami had vanished from their two shared classes as if he'd never been to begin with.

But it had been rough regardless. And he had to admit he was somewhat horrified by his own feelings for him, how easily they had grown when they were together for such a short amount of time. It was even more terrifying to realize just how constant they remained despite his knowledge of the other's disease. He still wanted him around, wishing to ignore the pull that came upon even thinking of him in a fleeting train of thought.

So, when Yami actually accepted his invitation to go for a walk, Yugi had honestly been surprised and elated. But there was a bout of dread as well, settling in his stomach in an unmovable lump. Yami met him at the game shop when he asked, putting a respectable amount of distance between them. He kept inches between them constantly when they walked. Yugi had tried to brush shoulders with him, but Yami had nimbly stepped aside instinctively, not even pausing to stop and consider.

So, now they were suffering through an awkward walk. And every time he tried to study him, Yami looked distracted and refused to make eye contact.

"Touch me!" he finally spat.

Yami's head snapped around, mouth opening and closing like a gaping fish. His teeth glinted slightly, strangely noticeable now that he knew he was a werewolf. And Yugi just barely caught himself before he could stare openly. His cheeks burned with embarrassment. He'd picked the worst phrasing.

"Um…?" the other muttered thoughtlessly, blinking.

Yugi rolled his eyes, trying to calm his heartbeat. "I meant holding hands or something. I tried to before, but you just…" He made a choking motion with his hands.

"I'm not sure I should hold hands with you." Yami eyed his fingers. "You obviously want to strangle me. I don't think I want you to try to crush my hand."

"Oh, please! I bet you heal too fast for that anyways…" Yugi raised a brow. "Besides, I doubt I could do any real damage."

The red-eyed teen tilted his head slightly, eyeing him a moment. "That's…probably true, honestly. We rarely ever break a bone and it's nearly impossible to do it, regardless. Our bones are a lot stronger." He hesitated, opening and closing his mouth once. And then he reached over to lightly brush their hands. His pinky finger hooked around his. Yugi beamed at the contact, even if it was much less than what he'd wanted.

"Good. Thank you."

Cheeks slightly flushed, the other nodded and turned away again.

A couple of kids played together as their mother waited in line for a promotional watch giveaway. A small dog rested in the pathetic patch of shade offered by a streetlight. A couple of girls from their school chattered about a new show they were watching. A group of people sat around a circular table at the cafe. Conversation drifted on an easy breeze. There was a soft hum of the rare car that passed by. A cat strolled around the corner, fluffing its fur and lashing its tail as it caught Yami's scent. Birds chattered softly and a squirrel made a mad dash across the cafe's roof.

Yugi thought it was both comfortable and terribly boring.

A squeal from a girl with pigtails was easily silenced by her doll being returned. His own loneliness was given a somewhat brisk abandonment by Yami's presence.

It seemed like an everyday occurrence. The sight before him seemed so terribly mundane and boring. Everything was as normal as it would have been without his newly obtained knowledge. No one stopped and looked at them as if they were strange because no one cared. Yami did not draw attention to himself. No girls fawned over him like dogs in heat. No one pulled a gun out and proclaimed his lycanthropy to the world.

Yugi smiled slightly at the familiarity.

It mirrored his situation somewhat. Yami was still Yami. It was just a new side of him that Yugi needed to find a way to balance with what he knew of him already. He could accept it; he knew that. It was just a matter of finding out a way to do it.

"Will you…show me sometime?"

Yami stopped walking for a moment, turning his head. "Show you what?" he asked, confused. He shook his head. "You're not…actually asking what I think you're asking…are you?"

"I'm pretty sure I am, actually."

"But that's…why would you want to see that?"

"Because I need to." He left it at that, turning back to the sidewalk.

His brows furrowed. Someone was moving in a thin crowd of people down the street. A familiar head of bright brown hair cut shoulder length moved gently across the pavement. The girl was slim, but with copious curves that were eye-catching. Her legs were well-defined, like a dancer's. Her skirt was shiny black leather, her shirt a white button down. A tiny blue jean jacket rested on his shoulders, the length of it barely covering the curve of her breasts as she continued walking. Boots with an inch-high heel came up halfway along her legs, socks dark gray.

Yugi's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He gripped his arm tightly with his free hand. "Whoa, Yami, w-wait a second—is that…is that _Anzu Mazaki_?" he asked slowly, breathless with shock. Yami blinked, turning his head to follow his line of sight, then nodded. His red eyes tracked her effortlessly. He looked so familiar with the sight of her that Yugi almost felt like an outsider.

"Yes. She's a part of my pack, actually," Yami stated without much interest, turning away again. His eyes flickered; the sunlight that hit them turned his gaze a bright wine color from their usual ruby depth.

"Huh? But I thought that she died in that car crash—with her family. They never found her body and proclaimed her dead…" Yugi muttered. His eyes widened, looking at him in shock. His mouth was dry, his stomach knotted. "Yami…you _bit_ her…?"

"I was the one that crashed into their car. It was an accident. But they looked away for a second. I hit the brakes but they'd run the light. We hit. Her parents died on impact. But she was dying so I bit her…" He hesitated. "I didn't do it without consent, though. I've never bitten anyone besides her—and that was because she begged me to save her. She asked to help and I made sure she understood before I bit her."

Yugi stared at him, shaking his head. "I wish I had known," he said quietly. "I thought she was dead all this time…"

"It's only been two years," Yami said simply, blinking and looking at him quizzically. "I suppose that would seem longer for a human—especially a worried friend. I'm sorry… If I had known you two were once friends, I would have mentioned it long ago. But I never know, so I didn't think to do so."

"It's fine, Yami. It's…not a big deal."

* * *

Yugi settled onto the large slab of stone, crossing his legs and licking his lips. Yami began to pull off his jacket. Yugi stretched his hand out, clicking his tongue for his attention, and Yami handed him the article of clothing. The smaller teen gathered it into his lap, breathing in roughly. Yami was going to change in front of him…

The thought was exhilarating and somehow terrifying.

Yami kicked his shoes off, following it with the tank top he was wearing. He passed the shirt over to him, nudging his boots away to give him more room. Yugi watched him work his belts off. And, for a single split second, an image emerged of them together, with Yami above or below him, their faces flushed equally, the taller boy's body rippling with thrusts received or given. And then his jeans were shrugged off and passed over. But Yami didn't remove his boxers, instead removing his socks.

"And you are sure you are fine with this?" Yami asked slowly. He tilted his head towards him, frowning and searching his eyes.

"Aibou, if I did not want to watch you do this, I would never have asked," he murmured, smiling and nodding. "I promise, aibou. I want to see this. Just…you know…remember that I'm still getting used to the idea that someone can even change into wolves in the first place."

"Yes, I know that, but I… Yugi, it's not a pretty sight."

"And here I was thinking it would be like a unicorn giving birth—rainbows and butterflies everywhere," he drawled. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Damn it, Yami. At this rate I'm going to just start assuming that you don't even trust me if you keep asking me. I don't need a warning, okay? I know it's not going to be pretty! How can it be? You're not putting on a pelt that magically changes and lends you limited immortality. You're not phasing suddenly into an animal that matches your personality. You are quite _literally_ going through a physical change. And I want to see it—because I want to know what it would be like should I decide that I want you to bite me."

Yami stopped short for a split second, swallowing hard. He turned away and reached up to scratch his throat lightly. "I do trust you. Don't…ever doubt that. If I didn't trust you, I would never have spoken a word to you without being asked a question. You've seen me speak to other people…they speak and I ignore them unless they ask me a question. I just… It is grotesque to watch."

"Yes, but you also asked me about considering anything and everything about being bitten. And I want to make sure I know every pro and con and don't try to make it seem like it's…better or worse than it really is," he explained. He smiled at him gently. "I just need to know how it all goes."

Yami sighed softly, nodding, and reached up to rub his eyes. "All right. Very well." He sighed again, shaking his head. "I'm going to go through the traditional Change. It tends to take a few minutes, so don't be surprised by how grotesque it is. But there is no reason to accelerate it like there would be if I were to fight or hunt."

Yugi nodded in understanding, bracing a hand against the stone. The chill made his palm itch for a split second. The rough contours pressed against his skin as he pushed more of his weight back into the limb. He watched Yami closely for a moment. His leg jerked with anticipation and he barely resisted the urge to start bouncing his knee. Swallowing hard and trying to prepare himself better, he crossed his legs at the knees, biting his lip.

Yami gave him a sideways glance. The other boy gave him a strained smile, ducking his head in embarrassment. Of course his nervousness must have affected him. He wondered if it would take too long for it to make him unable to go through with it.

He crossed his legs a second time, ignoring the way his jeans bit into his skin with the new position. Tilting his head up once more, he found Yami settled on his hands and knees a couple of feet away. Yami's back arched up and his spine jutted beneath his skin for a moment. His jaw clenched, a low moaning howl hissing through his teeth. A growl rumbled in his chest and the muscles twitched along his jaw, the column of his neck cording with pressure. A choking gag of a noise crept out. Yugi flinched but held himself there.

He had asked for this. And Yami knew what he was doing. So he had no reason to worry.

But his stomach still twisted and his first instinct was to leap forward and tell him to stop. Immediately after came the urge to ask if there was a way to help him. And he was rather sure there was nothing he could offer to relieve some of the strain from his experience.

Yami heaved, but his jaw refused to open. His eyes flashed with flecks of gold around the pupils. His pupils grew blown in size, nearly consuming his irises completely. Yugi watched his head tick at sporadic intervals. His back arched further. He refused to raise his head. Yugi leaned forward, nearly falling off the rock. Yami's muscles coiled beneath his skin like snakes. His shoulder blades rose upwards parallel his spine.

A long string of saliva fell from his mouth. His lips twisted into a silent snarl. The saliva beaded grossly, dripping from his canines. His sides heaved with the effort to breathe properly. His spine contorted once more. His bones popped like gunfire. His fingers stretched forward, scraping at the earth for a moment. Yugi watched the digits dig into the soil. They disappeared entirely beneath the dirt.

His arms corded with tension, then relaxed. His jaw clenched once more. Yugi listened to him inhale sharply, hissing. The tension eased in his jaw for a split second, then grew tenfold. His red eyes glittered with more vibrant flecks that seemed to glow. His arms and legs grew rigid. His back rose further, his jaw opening again. Long beads of saliva fell forward, stinking of bile.

Yugi flinched.

Yami's throat contorted with a choked swallow. Bile rose in the back of his throat. Tension made Yugi's stomach twist. His own throat worked in an uneasy swallow. His eyes never left the other boy, however. Coarse hair slowly pushed through Yami's writhing skin. Every muscle in his body corded violently, pulsing beneath his flesh.

His back shot up once more. His teeth ground together. A low snarl split the air. Two panting breaths were highlighted by dripping rivulets of drool. Burning saliva was tinged with yellow from bile he was trying to suppress.

His back arched to an unnatural height. Yugi could count every vertebrae there. His heart raced. Yami's head dropped forward again. His skin rippled. His back seemed to fold in on itself like a suitcase snapping shut. A long whimper rose from his throat.

Yugi shivered. He shook his head.

Why was this taking so longer? Surely if Yami could change at will, this should not have taken so long, right? Was he stunting it in order to show him each terrible bit?

He shook away the scowl that started to cross his face.

Of course he was.

Yami was trying to show him everything in more detail than the Change would have displayed otherwise.

Yami's head rose slightly, eyes meeting his briefly. His pupils were blown wider, shaking and rolling within his eyes' sockets. His fingers dug into the earth once more. The backs of his hands changed, tendons bulging. His wrists thickened. Another snarl rolled out of his mouth, but he swallowed the end as if he were trying to keep quiet.

For a split second Yugi wanted to reach out and touch him. His mind grew blank with nothing but this desire. And for a moment, Yugi was lost as to what to do. But he had already found his balance again. He took a small step forward. Yami's head snapped around to face him. His eyes were wide, pupils pinpricks with pain. Something warm squeezed at Yugi's chest. He came to his boyfriend's side. Yami opened his mouth to speak but wound up choking on vomit, arching his back and coughing up orange bile.

Yugi's palm touched his shoulder lightly. Fire burned his skin, electricity shaking through his veins. The muscles bugled and shifted. Coarse hair tickled his palms. His hand moved softly over his skin, lowering himself onto his knees at his side. Yami gave him another surprised look, swallowing harshly. Yugi smiled gently, rubbing his shoulder blades. He pressed his weight into a crouched position, soaking the legs of his jeans.

His back arched. He drew in a shaky gulp of air. His muscles were taut. This time his head shot upwards. The saliva burned a trail down his chin. Strings of yellow dripped to the straw. Wave after wave of movement rocked him violently. Hair spouted and retracted under Yugi's palm. The knobs of his spine rose further upwards. The air was split with violent pops, bones shifting beneath his skin. Yugi's hand drifted to the spot between his shoulders. His spine jutted and twisted beneath his fingers.

His back muscles twisted, shifting beneath his hand. Coarse hairs pushed out of his skin, tickling his palm. Each breath burned the air in a harsh pant. Yugi could hear his heart now, feel its pulse. Fire leaped through his skin, sweat blooming under his palm. Yugi's fingers shook against his back. The thud of his heart in his chest was like a drum.

Finally he stopped heaving and shuddering. His body trembled with exhaustion. His head was lowered to the ground. Yugi continued rubbing his shoulders. His skin stopped moving beneath his fingers as he massaged the spot. His skin retracted beneath his fingers. His shoulders rose and twisted. The muscles along them bunched, thickening, almost hunched. The hair had grown into a softness akin fur, with a coarse top layer and a softer undercoat.

Sweat bloomed up from the pores in his skin, coating Yugi's hand. Yugi turned his head to see his eyes. His pupils had receded slightly, to a more natural size. His pupils were glowing, bright specks amidst a sea of ruby red. His nails curved and thickened. Another wave of tension swept through him.

His muscles twisted and coiled beneath his fingers. His spine jutted upwards. His bones began to pop rapidly. The air crackled with constant racket, his bones shifting. Soft grinding pronounced their movements beneath his skin. His mouth stretched, jaws opening fully once more. His teeth grew sharp, thickening. His canine curved, stretching downwards. His gums bled bright red, turning his bile-threaded saliva dark.

Yugi's adrenaline spiked. His hearing heightened. He could hear Yami's organs twisting inside of him. It was a sloppy, wet noise. They twisted violently, rearranging rapidly. He could hear his heart rocketing. It rose to a greater volume, his entire frame shaking. His face lengthened further, muzzle growing long and broad.

His ears sharpened, moving to the top of his head. Dark fur grew along every inch of his body. His fingers began to grow coarsely skinned. Yugi could see them receding inwards, nails thickening and turning black. His bones broke and inverted in a series of rapid pops. Muscles thickened along his flanks. His shoulders grew more defined. His body shook beneath his fingers. And, finally, the shuddering passed.

Yami fell over on shaky legs, as if he could no longer hold himself. Eyes wide, Yugi found the canine lying flat on his stomach, legs bent at awkward angles. For a moment he imagined rugs of animal skins, flinching at the images it produced. He was stretched in the perfect design for once, sides shaking with little breaths. And then he sprang to his feet. His tail wagged and he gulped in mouthfuls of air.

Yugi watched him shake himself out. He stretched leisurely, every muscle in his body flexing. His first step was slightly disoriented. But his balance was perfect again. Pacing forward a few feet, the wolf threw himself onto his side. Yugi thought momentarily of submissive tendencies among wolves. His stomach twisted at the image that came to his mind once more. Then he shook his head, taking a seat on the edge of the rock once more. He watched him closely, studying the wolf as he rolled about.

"Does it always hurt like that?" he asked slowly, watching him.

Yami's ears twitched, eyes opening. He seemed to peer at seemingly nothing, then flickered to draw him in. His mouth opened wide. He panted, tailing wagging furiously, and threw himself to his feet again. A moment of silence passed before Yami flattened his ears and shook his head.

"Okay, so, did you stretch it out longer than necessary?" he demanded, voice taking on a rough edge.

The wolf immediately whined, ducking his head. He raised a paw, covering his eyes in a playfully shameful expression.

Yugi rolled his eyes. "How am I supposed to be angry when you're being all cute?" he snapped sharply. He narrowed his eyes, then laughed as Yami pulled his foreleg away and threw himself to his feet again. His tail wagged lazily from side to side, doing absolutely nothing to hide his exuberance.

"All right. I'll save the interrogation for another time then," he teased, crossing his legs and watching him. "But I have to say, it wasn't too terribly grotesque. Although, you are definitely taking a shower and rinsing your mouth out when we get back to my place. I am _so_ not touching or kissing you after that."

Yami huffed loudly, wagging his tail in response. He turned around, spinning in a brief circle. Yugi admired the slender slope of his ribs when he took in his side profile. He admired the glossy sheen of his pelt, the thick hairs that seemed to share almost three shades of color. He admired the way that his coat showed off the bright red of cinnamon-brown in direct sunlight. He admired the narrow chest, the long legs, the height and weight of the animal in front of him.

* * *

"So, how is…the Change after you've gotten used to it? Does it still hurt?"

Yami frowned, picking at his chicken bone and cracking it roughly between his teeth. The splintering noise sent shivers down Yugi's spine, but exhilaration made his breath quicken. Yami possessed such raw power even in this form, which wasn't even his natural skin in the first place. If the werewolves came from the wolves rather than the humans like mythology had always suggested, then…

He shook his head slightly, watching him. The bone split between his molars once more, his eyes briefly falling to the table before flickering to his again. The direct light from the bulbs overhead made them dilute and glimmer like fresh blood. He pulled the bone away, putting it on the plate.

"It's painful—always. You are changing into a completely different form, no matter the fact that your entire species comes from wolves. All of your cells are dying, then regenerating, and your DNA and RNA have to twist itself to suit the Change. Your organs have to move, your heart has to work at almost sixteen times its average rate. Your bones break and mend. Your senses heighten and change to accommodate you." Yami paused after a moment, chewing his cheek. He licked his lips, plucking the other bone from the plate. Yugi watched him shatter it with his teeth, cutting it cleanly in half and splintering it more plentifully in one area. "It's painful, but your body grows used to it. It's only in the beginning that it _truly_ hurts. After the first handful of times, your body begins to grow accustomed to it. It stores fat and muscle to burn away with the Change from there, instead of having to go about destroying and regenerating your cells so completely."

"Oh." Yugi nodded slightly, propping his elbow on the table. He watched him, then glanced at the broken bones. "Do you actually eat them or just the marrow? Err, as wolves, I mean; not just people."

"Either. I eat them because I can sometimes," Yami mumbled. He put the bone back on the plate, stripped of marrow completely. "It's less work cleaning up and it's… As a wolf, it's natural to want to eat them because of how beneficial they are."

Yugi nodded again. "And…out of curiosity—and please, don't take offense to this, because I honestly don't mean it that way—are you guys…born human or wolf?"

Yami had been staring at him intently since he'd asked him not to take offense. And, as the words connected, he grimaced. Abruptly he sighed and lowered his eyes to the table. "It…depends on the mothers. I was born a pup rather than human. My mother is more…in tune with her wolf nature than most of the others—it's what makes her such a great alpha. But, most often, we're born as humans instead." He paused and blinked. "It's personal preference rather than anything else. The mother's change will spur the baby's, so if the mother gives birth in a certain form, that is what the child will come out in."

Yugi nodded again, settling more comfortably in his seat. He laid his arms across the table, lowering his chin onto his bent elbows. He was not at all oblivious to the way that, for a split second, Yami's eyes fell upon the curve of his back, taking in his spine with unconscious eagerness.

* * *

The body was twisted and mangled. The skin was stripped away in areas. The internal organs had been eaten. Their back had been torn open, spine broken into powdery dust. Sharp teeth marks made punctures in the remaining vertebrae. The skin was covered in bruises and scratch marks. Various gashes were deep, having bled hideously. Bones had been ripped open, split down the middle to show devoured marrow. Clothes were shredded, soaked in blood and scattered about among the straw and wet earth. Rivulets of dark, dried blood, coated what was left of the destroyed corpse. Eyelids were lowered halfway, sockets stripped of their possessions completely. They stared back at him lifelessly, empty and seemingly peering through him altogether. The hair had been stripped away entirely from its head, torn off in violent clumps and scattered away. The corpse was already half-eaten by maggots.

Yugi stared at the carcass blankly for a long minute. Then his eyes shifted to the lycanthrope beside him. Red eyes were glued to the lifeless puppet in front of them. His gaze was considerate, thoughtful. His jaw was set with a considerable amount of frustration and confusion. His eyebrows furrowed, his head tilting slightly as he studied it.

"This…isn't a natural animal kill…is it? I mean, I know that mother bears can do that kind of thing, but that's not…how they eat, is it?"

Yami was quiet for a long handful of seconds. Then he shook his head slowly. "No. It's a werewolf attack," he answered, tipping his head upwards as the small, distant boom of thunder made the air ripple. The sky was darkly set, with terribly black and shadowed gray clouds that blocked out every bit of blue. He allowed his eyes to drift over it for a moment, then closed his eyes as he drew in a deep breath. A familiar swirl of heavy humidity, with the promise of electricity and heavy rainfall, swept through his lungs. The air was oppressive and smothered the scent of the werewolf that had done this, be it hellhound or lycanthrope.

Yugi could taste the electricity on his tongue even as he looked at the body. It sizzled and crackled on his tongue, like live energy. The hot air amplified the touch of it as it lit his mouth with flavor. His taste buds exploded with it; he looked eagerly towards the sky. But he could smell something besides the decay of leaves and fallen straw. It was sweet and distant, almost like honeysuckle, and it made his mouth water faintly as he tried to breathe it in more thoroughly. It seemed to linger on his skin warmly, with a distant chill to follow.

Yugi turned to Yami, ready to ask if he smelled it, too. But the lycanthrope was too caught up in the taste of the lightning awaiting them with violent booms and scattered clouds illuminated against the darkness. It was going to erupt and Yugi could see the absolute excitement in the other teen's eyes. They were dancing, flickering with life. He smiled warmly at the sight of it, enticed by the excitement in the other's face.

They both felt the thick, bloated raindrops as the sky exploded overhead. Thunder ripped through the air with violence that made his skin tingle. Lightning crackled and illuminated the world in bright white that rivaled sunlight.

Yugi dug his hands into his pockets, already soaked to the bone. Yami growled in distinct approval, glancing at him. His cheeks burned faintly and the other boy smiled wider, shaking his head slightly.

"I forgot for a second, how easily humans can get sick," Yami mumbled by way of apology, swallowing hard before reaching for his hand. Yugi raised a brow, slipping his hand into his, and allowed him to twine their fingers together as they started down the small slope. All he could hear was the rain hitting the canopy of leaves as they started through the woods. Yami glanced back once over his shoulder at the carcass, then turned back to him. "Werewolves don't usually eat humans."

Yugi blinked, startled. He looked at him for a moment, then shook his head. "I know. I doubt you guys would be alive if you guys did," he answered. "Which seems more likely to have done it? Hellhound or lycanthrope?"

Yami allowed himself to watch the leaves shake with a brief gust of wind, watching the water fall in a torrent downwards. The soiled straw was soaked within seconds, the leaves weighted heavily overhead. The ground squelched with too much water, threatening to send them both to their asses if they didn't pick their steps cautiously.

"Hellhounds tend to cause a bit more destruction and only attack when there is a reason. It's possible they could have stumbled across them while they were changing, or possibly while they were hurt. It could have been a lycanthrope, too, however. But werewolves tend to hide from humans. Sometimes we're forced to kill humans, though. If they fell threatened, or if they deal with a human who double-crossed them. One hellhound subspecies' sole purpose is to destroy and eat humans if they get too close to knowing how to summon." He shook his head slightly. "I think it is more likely a lycanthrope. The problem, however, is that…the only pack here…"

"Is yours."

* * *

Yugi settled atop his bed, pulling the towel away from his hair and dropping it a heap next to him. He could see Yami eyeing it, as if he wanted to take it from him and maybe dry himself as well, but the lycanthrope turned away again almost immediately. Yugi ignored it for a moment, reaching for his homework folder to pull out the partner take-home quiz they had both brought there after school.

He opened his mouth, the words singeing his tongue for the last thirty minutes while they had been walking home. Instead he closed his mouth again, reaching out for the towel. Yami had turned to pull out his own quiz. Yugi studied him a moment, then tossed the towel over. Yami caught it without looking up, his brows furrowing as he looked up to stare in confusion.

Yugi watched him, curious, and nearly laughed out loud. Yami drew the towel to his face, sniffing and closing his eyes, a small rumbling growl of a noise distinctly like a purr leaving him. He looked pleased as Yugi shook his head, resisting the urge to keep laughing. He was tempted to ask if it was a wolf thing, but then remembered more often than not his mother had called his father up to ask if he could send back a shirt.

She'd always said that they smelled of his dad and she loved when she got one of them when they were not together. She would wear them to bed for weeks before the smell left the shirt, and Yugi had to admit that he'd kept Yami's jacket close by that week they'd avoided each other. The entire time he had snuggled it, worn it while doing homework, playing video games, and not once had he even considered what he was doing.

He watched Yami snuggle the towel briefly, breathing in deeply. Then he sighed loudly, tossing it aside as if he wanted nothing more to do with it. Yugi almost told him he could have it, but he doubted his mother wouldn't notice it missing.

"So…you know what I'm going to ask you, right?" he asked slowly, softly. He swallowed hard, trying his hardest to make sure his voice did not sound accusatory in any way. His voice came out soft and level, though a touch of caution had crept forward in the undertone.

He blinked and looked at his own piece of paper, staring at it. He looked as if he were going to be sick for a moment. The he sighed, nodding. "Ask it," he mumbled. He sounded exhausted, as if being drawn out of the thunderstorm had done nothing but make him feel imprisoned in the house with Yugi.

But he realized it was nothing more than the stress of the question that he knew Yugi would ask. And it was the many thoughts that must have been scrambling for focus in his mind that made him so tired. So, the other boy stayed silent for a moment. He debated how to ask, or rather to state what he had to say, as asking the question might just make Yami feel weaker than he did even then.

"I thought you said you were the only werewolf that was seeing a human," he finally commented. He put his sheet on top of his science notebook and wrote his name. He could see Yami relax visibly in the corner of his eye. He mirrored him after a moment, writing his own name on the take-home quiz.

"I assumed I was," Yami answered softly, shaking his head briefly. His voice grew wistful and soft with confusion. "I don't know of anyone else deciding to pursue a human."

"And it couldn't have been random? It couldn't have been a rogue wolf or something along those lines?" he asked. He was forcing his voice to remain smooth and soft, soothing, and the edge was underlined with soft coaxing. Yami tipped his head to the side, looking appreciative towards the effort.

But his hands were trembling a moment later. Yugi swallowed hard. Yami looked almost terrified. "I do not think so. We would have caught their scent by now. And there aren't usually rogue werewolves—unless they turn their on their alphas in some way. Lycanthropes usually run with packs and never really remain alone unless circumstances call for it. And we would have caught onto a loner in Domino. We're too large a pack to let one go unnoticed."

"So, it really would have to be someone from your pack then."

Yami grimaced, nodding shakily and staring pointedly at the paper. "Yes. There is no other explanation."

Yugi nodded, closing his eyes. He had no idea if he should continue or not, though his answer was given when Yami continued speaking.

"But it does look like a killing that would have come from rejection. I saw one of those once—it happened when I was younger and we had to move because of how savage it was. The humans in the city turned on _every_ canine without a collar. Strays were caught and likely euthanized. And wolves can't _wear_ collars, not unless it's for small periods of time. It tends to drive us crazy; it makes us feel confined and…owned." He paused, shaking his head. He narrowed his eyes, his gaze gleaming slits of dark glittering ruby gems cast against long shadows. "And my parents know about you, but anyone in our pack would have been forced to notify them immediately should they have taken a human mate. We cannot risk exposure. They would have had to do so long before this happened. And…I don't understand how this could have happened, Yugi."

"Do you think anyone in your pack would know? Maybe they just decided not to tell because they didn't think your parents would approve after what happened, but they didn't know how to handle the rejection and…" He trailed off. Yami didn't look reassured at all. He seemed even more upset than he was before. "Tell me about that, Yami. I know it's not pretty for werewolves when a rejection happens, but to kill so violently like this…"

Yami blinked, eyes half-hooded. "This is mild compared to the one I saw when I was younger," he said softly. He sighed, looking up at him through his lashes. Yugi fought the urge to jump to his feet, moving over to huge him when he saw the despair so abundant on his face. "I told you that werewolves—both species—do everything in large scale and nothing in small. In that way we are unable to deal when our efforts are…proven useless or unworthy of attention. We put everything—heart, soul, mind, _everything_ —into the person we choose to be with and when we're rejected…"

He was silent for a moment. His eyes darkened further.

"It's like a switch goes off in their heads. Their entire purpose was put into pleasing that person and their efforts were discarded like mere trash. So, it splits their minds violently. It makes them vicious and more likely to act against their own natures. They could be the sweetest wolf in existence, but if they are rejected—no matter _how_ gently—it would devastate them. The depression sets in almost immediately and then the rage comes with it—"

"You weren't like that," Yugi pointed out. His interruption did as he'd hoped; Yami lost his dark expression and the vicious edge in his voice faded. The other boy turned to him, eyes slightly brighter but far from as lively as usual.

"I had hope you would give it a chance." He offered him a weak smile. "My hopes were not in vain. This wolf's were."

* * *

"What about the girl from the ice cream shop? Is she part of your pack, too?" Yugi asked curiously. He bit his lip, studying his face. Yami paused mid-bite of his potato salad, swallowing before looking at him in surprise.

"Yes. Her name is Kisara. She's actually the omega in the pack. She's originally from an outside pack and joined us a couple of years ago, about three months after Anzu, honestly. Most of her pack had dispersed so when we came around she asked for admittance and joined us when my mother gave approval."

"What's it like for the omega?" he inquired after a long minute of silence between them. His mind was racing; if Kisara being accepted into the pack had led to her position as omega, if he were to be bitten, then he was likely to take her place as omega, right? "They serve a purpose, right? They aren't just…there, are they?"

"They help to diffuse tension." Yami lowered his fork, tapping the teeth briefly against the plate for a single second. "Sometimes it is by playing the punching bag, but most of the time it is just by listening to arguments and helping to ease any fights that come about."

"So…she's the omega because she wasn't part of the original pack?"

"Well, no, it was like that originally. But she has had ample opportunity to move up in rank. She is just a lot quieter and softer-spoken and tends to take peacekeeping more seriously than most would otherwise. She chooses to remain the omega, but she is not forced to be."

"And are tensions always high? Do threats come around often or…?"

"Physical altercations are always rare in a balanced pack. Normally you just have a few bickers and spats and the occasional argument over food, but it is mostly in play and fun. My pack is extremely balanced, but we have those few times where the tensions get too high—such as now. Being in Domino sets everyone on edge right now. We've never been so close to human population before—we're practically right next to the city and we're all used to being wolves, not humans. We are all undone by it and frustrated." He paused, shrugging one shoulder slightly. His fork was lowered to the plate now, lips twisted into something of a grimace. "There aren't any constant fights or anything like that. No one is leaving—they all love being in the pack, so it's nothing bad. It's just that stress levels are at their highest and Kisara is forced to play peacekeeper more than ever. But it will settle soon enough."

Yugi licked his lips and watched him pick at his food. "So, then, if I were to join the pack…?" He asked it slowly, cautiously, hoping that Yami would fill in the blanks as he was coaxing.

Yami stayed quiet for a long moment. Then he settled back against his chair, watching him keenly. And then Yugi realized he saw something cold and sharp glittering in his eyes. "Most likely they would be upset, but not to the point that they might cause any true trouble. They would not turn on you, if that is what you mean. Most likely they would jeer at you some, but eventually they would get over it. Especially since I am the future alpha and my parents would love you just because I do."

Yugi nodded, relieved. "Okay," he murmured, and he couldn't help but laugh at Yami's pointed stare. "What? I told you I would consider everything before I made a decision, remember? And the pack and it's living situation are more than just a temporary thing for you, right?"

Yami stayed silent for a long handful of seconds. Then he shook his head. He leaned forward, staring at him closely. Yugi frowned, tilting his head, waiting for him to speak. A few long minutes passed. And then the werewolf finally spoke.

"Yugi, I appreciate you considering this in its entirety," he said slowly. "And if it were possible to love you more, I would. But, I need you to understand something. I need to make something clear to you. Right now."

Yugi nodded without hesitation, listening carefully. Yami lowered his voice into a low and hideous growl.

"You are not going to meet the pack. Not now. Not ever. Unless you choose to be bitten, you are not allowed around _any_ of them—and that includes Anzu," he stated firmly. He narrowed his eyes when Yugi blinked stupidly at the statement. "Oh, yes, I know about that. I know that you tried to talk to her the other day when you saw her. She doesn't remember you. She knows your name, but she doesn't remember anything past that. Most of memories aside from time spent with her family are lost—the accident stripped her of almost everything. And attempting to rekindle your friendship with her will give you no results aside from possibly getting attacked. A startled werewolf pushed into something is likely to their their teeth on you before they are to try to make small talk, Yugi."

Yugi flinched faintly, nodding for him to continue. He had hoped to ask how she was doing, just to see if she was okay. But that explained so much. That explained the blank look Anzu had given him when she'd turned around, right before she'd wandered off as he had tried to get to her. That also explained why it was that Yami had stopped her at the end of the hall just seconds after to speak to her with an extremely serious expression on his face. He had ignored Yugi as well, and both of them had turned and walked off even after Yugi had called both of their names.

"She doesn't remember me?" he asked quietly. He swallowed hard, sighing softly. A hurt note crept into his voice and he noticed Yami flinch almost inconceivably. "O-oh…okay. I…I can…yeah, okay, I just…I wanted to know how she was…"

He turned away immediately, clearing his throat awkwardly. He poked his salad once more. "I'm sorry—"

"There's nothing to apologize for, Yami. She's alive—and safe. I thought she was dead. That's better than nothing." Yugi hesitated before settling back in his seat. "Anyways, continue. I'm not meeting the pack unless I commit myself to becoming a wolf, too?"

"Yes. Because, with tensions like this—and the longer we remain in Domino and not further outwards toward the mountain ranges they will just keep growing—they are liable to turn on you."

"Oh…"

"Yugi, I only know of all of ten relationships with humans that did not end up similarly to this," Yami stated quietly, clearing his throat and swallowing as he ducked his head momentarily. "And none of them happened in my time. They all happened generations before, so long ago that it is more like a dream than a recollection whenever someone speaks of them. There was the hellhound Dartz, who was driven mad when the humans turned on his mate for having ties with him. There was the lycanthrope Timaeus, who lived with his mate who eventually gave birth to the very family tree that would lead to my parents. There was Isis who ran away with her human lover even after her pack cast her out. There was Aileen who did everything in her power to remain human with her lover. There were the triplets whose names I have forgotten, and a handful of others."

Yugi blinked, nodding in encouragement when Yami hesitated.

"Most relationships with humans are disasters for us. Humans usually rejects us and it drives us mad. And the madness and depression set in _instantly_. Like a sudden thunderstorm. Then the human gets killed, the werewolf grows even further insane and eventually loses even the capability to function properly because of their mental state's imbalance, and they become another story for the pups to hear so that they do not venture to play with the humans." Yami shook his head faintly, narrowing his eyes once more. "If a human and werewolf become involved, it is almost purely for nothing more than sex and relief of stress. It is like friends with benefits, but if the wolf senses something more from the human then they leave them and cut all ties. Most werewolves won't even do that much, for fear that they might grow attached or they might grow insane due to rejection."

"So…then you came into this with your own thoughts and judgments about it all?" Yugi asked slowly, nodding at him. He settled back in his seat as they stared at each other. Yami started to open and close his mouth, trying to rebut the statement, but wound up bowing his head instead. "So, then why did you even bother?"

"Because, I…"

"Never mind. It doesn't matter why you did. It just matters that you did." He paused. "And I don't regret anything and I haven't actually even considered rejecting you—hell, you tell me to jump and I ask how high. Fuck, you sneak into my room and pull me out for ice cream dates at one in the morning and I never even truly consider how strange it is."

"I—"

"Relax. I'm not saying anything to hurt you. I said I don't regret anything, aibou." He smiled at him, soft and gentle. "I admire you, actually, for stepping out of your comfort zone for me. But, at the same time, I have to wonder why. And I have to think about what would happen if I said no about being bitten. What do you think would happen? Do I honestly have a choice, or—?"

"Of course you have a choice!" Yami snarled, so forceful that they both startled at the words. He blinked, flushing violently, and ducked his head. "The only thing you don't have a choice about is meeting the pack if you choose not to be bitten—or association with Anzu. The pack would not take kindly to a human's knowledge of them, regardless of whose m—p-partner they are."

"You can call me your mate," Yugi said gently. "I don't mind if you do."

He nodded again. He looked relieved, though he never raised his head nor did he smile more than slightly. "Regardless of whose mate you are," he stated quietly, as if tasting the words. And Yugi found his chest squeezing when Yami visibly relaxed and trembled for a split second, as if the word had comforted him far more than anything else ever could have. "I'm the son of the alphas and in love with a human. Bringing you into that wouldn't protect you—it would make you a target. They would most likely demand to have you bitten then and there and forced into the Change to assure that you would never say anything about it, or they would have you killed on the spot."

Yugi's smile fell away immediately, blinking in shock.

"And any member of the pack with relations with humans have told my parents and gotten permission. And that is strictly for sex and nothing else. They don't built relationships with them or anything—I'm the first one since Timaeus to even look towards a human mate, Yugi. It would seem more like some kind of betrayal than anything else as far as they are concerned." He shook his head, poking at his salad again. "I don't mean to scare you, aibou. I just…"

He wanted to say he hadn't, but he remembered Yami could hear his heart. So he knew that it had kicked up several paces; he had heard—and likely _smelled_ —the fear he'd felt at the thought of being bitten and forced into the Change or being killed. So, he kept silent, instead nodding when he realized Yami was watching him from his peripheral.

"And, if you didn't want to become a wolf…" Yami drew in a deep breath, then exhaled, and finally raised his eyes to look up from beneath his lashes at him. "If you would still have me, then I would find a way to become human—or as close to human as I possibly can."

Yugi felt as if he had been slapped. His mouth opened and closed. Then he shook his head, fighting away a scowl. "No, Yami, that's not happening."

Yami visibly flinched. "What?"

"Fuck that. _No,_ aibou. I wouldn't allow that to happen to you. You _love_ being a wolf! I couldn't take that away from you—"

"But if you won't join me as a wolf—"

"I never said I wouldn't," he cut in, voice sharpening. Yami flinched again, more startled than dejected now. "I'm considering, Yami. That's what you asked me to do, remember? I'll choose what to do as we go along. I'm not going to just rush a decision like this. But I _will_ tell you that even if I choose not to become a wolf, I will be _damned_ if I _ever_ let you consider trying to be human for me. Fuck that, Yami. You're not about to give up who you are just for me, understand?"

"But, isn't that what I'm asking of you?"

"No, it's not," Yugi snapped, glaring and shaking his head. He got up. "You're giving me an opportunity to grow more than I can like this—so, no, I don't think you are. Just…Yami, give me some time."

"I—I didn't mean to—"

"No, aibou, I know that. I just… I ask these things with the intention of listening and then I hear something that makes me cringe, and I just… I feel like I'm a ticking time bomb and everything is closing in on me. And that's my fault, not yours. I just… Gods, Yami, I think I'm just scared. I think I've scared myself trying to learn about all of this."

"I…I'm sorry…"

Yugi shook his head, smiling at him in gentle amusement. "No, aibou. You don't need to apologize. I just need to figure out how to pace myself before I go any further with this, okay?"

"O-okay…"

He started to apologize, then stopped. He moved forward, kissing his forehead, and smiled when he pulled back to see the confused look on Yami's face. "I love you, Yami."

And, just like that, the other boy's entire face lit up.

* * *

She smelled of vanilla and apple, with a tiny hint of cherry blossoms. Yugi had come across the scent from nowhere. It burned in his nostrils as he looked up in confusion. His head was throbbing. His temple pulsed with pain. His heart seemed to stutter as he opened his eyes slowly and peered through his lashes. Blood pounded in his ears. His stomach twisted and burned. He tried to breathe and his chest ached. The effort made his head spin. His ribs burned as they expanded. Spots of silver and white exploded behind his eyes.

The scent was heavy as it drifted over him. It made his head spin. Various childhood memories he had not thought of in years came forward. His mind struggled with the task of orienting itself. But his memories were just beneath the surface. They scratched like animals looking for shelter in a storm. They refused to let him rest, burning beneath his thoughts and trying viciously to overwhelm him.

He tipped his head up, peering at her. His mind could not connect the dots. His vision swam, his breathing labored. He felt off balance even while seated. He squinted, staring, and waited for the dots to phase away from his vision. Vaguely his sense of touch told him that he was sitting on a cushion of some kind. It spoke volumes of comfort in the confusion that his mind was wading through. His fingers twitched, grasping at softened velvet.

His voice bubbled out, but it was an incoherent jumble. It was slurred, dragged from his mouth. He tipped his head forward. His eyes shut tightly. His head spun. The room needed to stop spinning. He couldn't do anything else as long as it remained like this. Even with his eyes shut, the sensation was still there. His mind rolled, spinning, twisting and leaving him confused.

But where the hell was he?

The nose burned in his nostrils did not help stop the heady sensation. There was something sticky and hot in the air, too. It cloaked the room, mingling with a sickly sweet vanilla scent. He did not recognize it, but he knew it was nothing good. It stung, burning his insides each time he breathed. He could not help the disgust in his belly.

The temperature was oppressively warm. His balance faltered beneath it. Yugi blinked once more. He peered down at his clothing. Then he slowly drew his eyes up.

She was leaning against the wall. A wine glass seemed to glitter in her hand. And the smirk on her face could be described as nothing but predatory. It took him several minutes to final tack the name to the face and his heart fell into his stomach. By the gods, he hoped he was seeing things…

"Anzu," he croaked, voice still slurred. His efforts were rewarded with a wider smirk. Yugi blinked in confusion; what was she…? How was she…? Had she done something to him…? Sluggishly he peered at her through his lashes. The black edges helped to clear his strained vision slightly.

Her face looked as beautiful as it always had when they were growing up. But her eyes were alien. They were cold, glittering with fierce hardness like molten steel. Weakly he tried to shift position and wound up whimpering at the pain that flared through his neck at the attempt to grow more comfortable.

"Aw, now, don't do that, dear little Yugi," she purred, smiling at him. "If you move your head the wrong way, you're going to end up bleeding out, sweetheart."

Her lips curled up a bit more. A small edge of something vicious crept across her features. He had no idea if his tired mind was playing tricks on him or not. But he could see it now. As he struggled to regain his senses, he found himself looking upon a face twisted with absolute _loathing_ and _disgust._

The liquid in the wine glass was thicker than any alcoholic beverage. It sloshed, but did not swirl. It left reside along the sides, seeming to stain it like coffee. Yugi stared at it blankly for a moment. What was she drinking?

"I've tidied up a bunch," she cooed, gesturing around with her glass. She smirked wider, taking a few small steps forward. Yugi watched her feet. They were clad in high heels that reminded him of some of the girls in his porn videos. They clicked against the carpet. Whatever was in that cup had dribbled down her lips in a thick line, trailing to leave little droplets along the fibers. Her thin skin looked as if it had been slashed with a knife. "There was blood _everywhere,_ Yugi. You would not believe how much there was. It was so beautiful, bathing the walls and the carpet. It was like…buckets of red paint thrown all around. And you just have so much in you. I'm guessing that Yami has gotten you to chew a bone or two. I could smell the marrow in your bones from _miles away._ "

Yugi stared at her in confusion. Then his face somehow grew hot with embarrassment. He had to admit that he had begun to wonder about it. Ever since Yami had eaten the marrow in front of him and explained to him later, he'd wondered. So he had tried it. It had become something of a habit after a while. It was odd at first, but it had grown on him.

He swallowed hard, her words truly connecting in his head.

She had _cut his throat_.

She was _drinking his blood_.

She was going to _eat him_.

She was going to _literally_ eat him.

Yugi stared at her, horrified.

"I'm sorry, Yugi. I know that my visit came so _unexpectedly_ and I really should have done something to warn you," she drawled, teasing. She smirked, taking a sip of the bright red liquid. His mind was still struggling to understand what she was saying to him. All he could think about was that she was _drinking his blood in front of him_. That was him in the cup. He was being consumed out a wine glass. She'd cut his throat, drained blood into a glass, and was _drinking it in front of him_. "And I almost wish we could have gotten to know each other again. I know Yami told you about everything. You know, when I first woke up after he bit me, I could only remember your face, your name—and you've grown _so_ much. I was amazed when I saw you at school. But I was _much_ more amazed by how _bold_ you have become. Humans are usually so skittish around wolves. Especially considering the fact that wolves kill humans when they know about them."

Yugi shook his head, unable to truly listen. That was him; she was drinking his blood. And she was going to get more when she got the chance. She was going to continue draining his blood. She was going to continue to drink his blood.

"But, now you are just so _close_ to my brother. And I simply could not wait any longer to spend some time together again—just like old times." She sipped the blood again, smiling at him. Her teeth reminded him of sharks. Yugi blinked. "Relax your throat and rest against the couch like a good little boy now, Yugi. We can't have you hurting yourself and bleeding out, now can we?"

He hesitated. A familiar smile crept across her face. He knew it from childhood. Her face was glowing with excitement. Her lips curled back in cruel satisfaction. It was the only difference from the casual happiness he had known her to exhibit before.

His natural instinct to survive told him to collapse on the floor before her. He wanted to kneel, beg for her to let him go. And perhaps he wold have done so had it not been clear in her azure eyes. He would not escape until she allowed it. And the only way that it would come about was after she devoured him. She would drink his blood, eat his flesh, and savor his bones. She'd crush him into nothingness and swallow him completely. Perhaps he would be a cache like the carcasses that wolves sometimes buried and went back to later. Or perhaps she would eat him in one sitting.

The faintest hint of honeysuckle came forward. He blinked. He remembered now. She had always smelled of vanilla, apple, and honeysuckle. Her scent had been all over the body in the woods. That was what he had been so confused about. That little drifting scent that had faded into nothingness before Yami had ever caught it due to the rain.

Yugi stared at her for a long minute. He eyed the glass in her hand. His head was still light, but not as if it weighed nothing. It was more that he had too little thoughts. It was as if reason had abandoned him entirely. There was no dizziness. There were no spots behind his eyes any longer. But his vision still swayed and dipped, only because of the reality of the situation. The horror of his realizations burned like electricity.

He was going to die.

And for a moment he wondered. Would Yami ever know? Would he find him? Would he find out that she had done this if she left no evidence? Or would he end up joining her should she offer him a feast on his bones as well? Maybe that was better than nothing, regardless of how terrible it was.

"Thirsty?" she teased. She held up the glass by the stem, smirking and raising a brow.

Yugi felt a swirl of fire deep in his stomach. Disgust crawled up in the form of bile. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly. "No," he croaked, shaking his head slowly. His eyes flickered over. He looked up at her through his lashes again. "No, Anzu."

She nodded and smiled. "You know, that's actually the root of my problem with Yami these days. My dear brother does not know the taste of a healthy human. He doesn't know what it's like to snap their bones between his teeth and devour them completely. Humans may be the scourge of the earth, but some of them—the rare ones—are healthy and taste delectable. There are those rare occasions, when they are not so terribly pumped with disgusting chemicals." Anzu took a moment, sipping her drink. Yugi stared at her lips, stained red with his blood. If not for the lipstick already on her mouth, he would have thought she had stuck her lips straight into his blood. "But _then,_ Yami is more traditional as a lycanthrope. Born as a wolf, living life more as a wolf than as a human. Did you know that he could change fully since he was six? Or at least he could change at one point and did it a lot. But then he lost that ability. And, somehow, he wound up having it resurface when he was twelve."

Yugi blinked at her. He tried to tear his eyes away from that godforsaken glass she held so firmly between her fingers. He could the condensation where the tips of her fingers pressed into the glass. It was soft, misty, and beautifully offset in comparison to the depth of the red.

"But Yami is still a predator, even if he will not dine as I do. And that is the _real_ problem between you and him, isn't it, dear little Yugi? Hunting and devouring prey… The thing is, Yugi, no matter how hard you two attempt to bridge your differences, they will _always_ be there. And they cannot be covered away with atrociously boring human fantasies—no sunset painted golden and purple, no long gaze upon ocean waters, no hike through the forest, no moonlit night, no wade in a soft pool will _ever_ help you to understand each other. The situation will never be mended away into nothingness."

Yugi shook his head slowly. He had never thought it would be. But he was not about to contradict her. She held his life in her hands. And, though she was going to take it soon enough, he was not about to play the part of the protester. If he went along with it easily, perhaps she would show some kind of mercy.

But then, she had not shown that same mercy to the hiker they had found so horribly disfigured in the woods. And from the way she spoke of this, he felt as if she had possibly had even deeper a connection with him than he and Yami had originally thought while coming up with theories about the killing.

"See, there is a clear line between those who are the predator and those who are the prey. Of course, they may coexist and sometimes a miracle may happen in which they will come together for a common goal. But that is not natural, Yugi." She smiled at him, tipping the glass towards him. "I should know, Yugi. I crossed that line. I have experienced it all. But, oh, when you cross the line,t here is only one direction you can go and no way to turn back. Mingling with prey brings only death and destruction and a waste of time. Yami needs to learn that—and he will! Because you two—oh, you _two_ —would never have lasted. I saw the way you looked at him at school when he mentioned that he was thinking about going hunting. I saw it even when he didn't. So _disgusted_ over something so _natural_."

Yugi stared at her blankly. Is that what she thought? No; for a split second he was tempted to try to explain, but the reality of the situation struck him once more. She would never listen. She was lost somewhere in the fragments of her once beautiful mind. What had that boy done to break her so terribly?

His heart broke as he stared at her, pity and sympathy flooding through him. Yami had said that werewolves loved with everything. They did not hold anything back and there was no small scale for them. She had loved someone and they must have turned their back on her. Because of her secret. Because of her lycanthropy.

"Is this…revenge?"

She stopped short at the whispering croak. Then her eyes widened faintly, laughter bubbling up.

"Revenge? For what, Yugi? For Yami biting me? For making me what I am? No! I love being what I am now. This what I was always _born to be_ —I no longer have to suffer through the illusion that I am good. I do not have to pretend to follow the laws of right and wrong that mean so much to you, Yugi. I have learned that humans are nothing more than a virus—the _only_ unnatural creature—and that they _deserve_ to be destroyed." She laughed and shook her head, eyes wild as they peered into his. That lovely light he had always admired while they were growing up was completely gone. All he could see was bitter ferocity and malice; his heart hurt at the sight. "I have learned that I am the only power and my word is law. I have the ability to kill without being suspected and strength to rival an African elephant with the simple touch of an adrenaline rush. I have the smarts and freedom of the wolf, the spirit of the wilderness itself."

"Who was he? The boy in the woods, Anzu… Who was he…?"

"A mistake," the girl snarled. Bitterness made her voice shrill before it lowered, her lips twisting into a dark smirk. "Human blood is the most disgusting thing. But you are all so pathetically weak and easy to prey upon. That is the line I crossed and make no mistakes; I have no regrets. There were once rules that I followed in the pack, but now I have broken all of them—and I have found that they mean nothing."

Yugi watched her sip the glass of blood again. She was getting low. It was too light along the surface, with a mere inch of dark red centered in the clear glass. The residue had blocked the sight of it until that moment, but he knew now. And his stomach twisted, a frigid hatred sizzling in his veins.

"Yami is the same, Yugi. He is just like me. As my alpha, he is the same," she snickered softly. She smiled widely, moving forward to the edge of his coffee table. Her nails tapped against the bright umber wood. "It is only you that keeps him form doing as he so desires. You keep him from experiencing his freedom at its greatest and force him to suppress his true nature as a _wolf_. You keep him away from everything he wants because of your little manipulations and make him cringe at his own existence! He wallows in desire, hating himself when he wants more than you can provide him. He hates changing. And that is the _only_ thing that makes him _happy_ , Yugi! That was the one thing that always makes him feel good! And now he hates it. He hates hunting, too; did you _know_ that? Or hasn't he told you? You. _You_ did this to him. You infect him with your pitiful nature and your disgusting weakness and your pathetic existence."

He stared at her blankly. Was she being truthful?

Had he made Yami hate himself?

Or was this a ploy to make him feel weaker than he already was?

"But you know what, Yugi? I am not going to let you destroy my brother—my _alpha_. I will never let you tear away my bond with him. So, we will wait here until he comes for you—we both know he will; a wolf always knows when his mate is in trouble—and he will either bite you or he will feast on you with me. Do you understand?"

Yugi nodded stupidly. His throat was burning. Yami would never do that.

But if he _did_ , Yugi was sure he could appreciate the irony of it. Perhaps he would enjoy the fact that it would feed him or something. He nearly laughed at his own stupid sense of consoling himself. How pathetic he was to assume such stupid things.

"And now I feel that I might have overestimated myself. I didn't know how rich your blood would be, Yugi," she cooed after a moment. She placed her glass on the table, taking a seat and crossing her legs. "Your blood is so rich and far too much for my taste—far better than Seto. And I don't have the appetite to truly enjoy you as I would otherwise. But there are, of course, many other types of appetite…"

"Fuck yourself," Yugi spat viciously. He shook his head sharply. She gave him a mockingly sympathetic grin, laughing softly. "I hate you."

"I'm so hurt," she sneered, smiling wider. "But don't worry. I won't take your _precious_ virginity. Maybe Yami will do it as he's killing you. I doubt that he will give you the same gift he did me. Does that hurt you, Yugi? That I have a part of him you never will?"

Both of them froze.

Anzu's head snapped around, tilting towards the floor. Her eyes were clear, yet somehow unfocused.

Yugi thought for a second to jump to his feet and run. But he wasn't stupid. He needed to save his energy. Running would only turn her wrath on him even more viciously; it was the nature of the wolf. They enjoyed the chase. They enjoyed chasing to kill their prey; movement was the very thing that would get him killed without a second's hesitation.

He closed his eyes tightly.

The door in the entrance of the hallway burst open. Yugi flinched at the sound. The wood had split. Anzu burst into giggles in front of him. He opened his eyes. She was looking at him, clasping her hands and getting to her feet. She twirled as if in a dance, smiling at him with unconcealed delight and false warmth.

"He's early, Yugi. Must be the alpha-beta connection that drew him here so quickly…"

He wanted to ask, but found himself unable to. The silhouette in the kitchen was almost black with fury. Red eyes were wide, glittering with confused rage. Hatred burned around his pupils. His lips were drawn back with a silent snarl, teeth bared.

The room came to him in fragments. Reality split, the thin glass of familiarity shattered instantly. Yugi's scent was too strong. The smell of iron and calcium burst forth in the air. His heartbeat was slow and steady, wet twists of a powerful muscle in his chest. His lungs were working gently. His pulse was a bit shaky. And he could smell the heat of his skin and the rise of his blood pressure. He could see the way his shoulders rose and fell with each breath.

"Anzu, what the hell are you—?"

"This is what you've always wanted, isn't it, Yami? To consume him and drink his blood and feast on his flesh, to devour the marrow in his bones? Although"—She cast a disappointed glance at Yugi—"you won't get the first taste now. And he probably won't scream like he did when I attacked him, but I can promise you he did. And it was one of the most beautiful sounds I've ever heard."

Yami blinked. She purred the words at him. And then she twisted around enough to throw him a look over her right shoulder. Her lips were peeled back to bare her teeth in a smirk. Yami could see that much in his peripheral; he couldn't look away from Yugi.

" _You_ did…this…?"

"Of course, Yami. I came here after hearing your conversation with your parents. You said Yugi didn't want you as a human. I felt how much pain you were when you said he refused to even let you consider it. You spoke of how scared you were when he said he didn't know he wanted to be bitten, either. And I've always known how much you want to eat him, Yami. After what you said to your parents, I knew you would be too afraid to do necessary for yourself. The idea of the pack scares him. He's afraid of the Change. You weren't meant to be a human. Especially not for someone so _afraid_ of and _disgusted_ by your species. It would be a waste of who you are, Yami."

"Anzu…"

"And if he won't let you bite him, then he has no place with you. You shouldn't have to sacrifice yourself just to be with him. He's ungrateful for what you have already offered him—a lifetime of unquestionable, solid, unmistakable _love_ , of loyalty and friendship, of a partnership that he would never get with any other human. He makes you shun your own happiness for him and would reject you for trying to become human."

Yami blinked slowly. His stomach twisted violently.

"So, I decided that I would take care of it for you, Yami. He's completely docile and he will be until we either finish him off or he makes his choice." Her face turned from scorn to exhilaration, eyes shining as he held out the unfinished glass in her fingers. "Here, have a taste, Yami. It's the purest blood you'll ever find."

He finally removed his eyes from Yugi. She was almost trembling with excitement. "No," he said softly.

"Why _not_?" she demanded, voice growing somewhat shrill with confusion. Her eyes hardened with disgust. Her lip curled back, her gaze darkening with hatred. Yami swore he saw a thousand shadows pass through her eyes, and instinct made him almost step back. The wild glint in her eyes was dangerous, sparkling, and his shoulders almost rose with tension. "He was going to reject you anyways, Yami! You couldn't make it last—no matter how hard you try! Yugi would reject you because he's afraid of everything he doesn't know—because he's a _human_!"

"Anzu, this is not…"

"Right?" she asked slowly, getting up and coming closer. She wrapped an around around his shoulder, drawing his attention again. The wine glass was lifted to his nose, the blood sloshing back and forth. It made his stomach shudder and his chest tighten. "But it is, Yami. He's human. And you're a lycanthrope. You're the child of the alphas, the future leader of our pack. If you actually think that your relationship with him would work, then you're delusional, Yami. And don't you want a taste? Don't you want to know if it will taste like you've always _dreamed_?"

Yami stared, shaking his head. "You know _nothing_ of my dreams, Anzu," he spat. He shoved her arm away, stepping back. "What have you done to Yugi?"

"We were just playing a little game," she scoffed. She headed past him to the table again, putting the glass down and twirling around with flourish.

Yami bristled, hatred creeping through his veins. This was _his_ creation. He had given her a second chance at life. He had done this, bringing her back from her deathbed. And now, this was what had come about due to his decisions.

"But he is here to help you make a choice."

"A choice?" he snarled.

It was dangerous to take his eyes off her; every instinct in his body told him not to. Every part of him was on alert, screaming against this impulse. He shouldn't take his eyes off her; a feral wolf was the most dangerous force in existence. They wreaked havoc and destroyed _everything_ in their paths. It was why hellhounds were considered the biggest force of power in the world if they were to ever snap. Starvation could push them to the edge and bring about the destruction of cities. A lycanthrope on the loose, feral and violent and insane, was the embodiment of death and raw power.

But he couldn't stop himself. His eyes shot immediately to Yugi again, questioning. He had to gauge his reaction. He had to know how much he could move, if he could make a run for it. If there was nothing else, he had to make sure that his heart didn't stop because he wasn't paying attention.

"He's weak. It makes _you_ weak. Your feelings for him are brought on because of your core emotions. You want to fuck him and eat him—the only two things humans are good for. But you're trying to make this into something else—something _more_ —and you will end up killing yourself for it. You are afraid to even mention the pack or hunting or the Change because you fear he will judge you. You think he will leave you if you do what you have for the last few years when you were _free_. You should be free to change and eat and kill and hunt and experience everything that you've always _wanted_ to, Yami."

Yami watched Yugi again. The small teen was blinking tiredly. And when he slightly turned his head, the wound on his neck was visible and sharp against his pale skin. It was a hideous red scar, inflamed with pink where it had pressed together from the weight of his head when he'd been unable to lift it.

"That's what a lycanthrope does! That is why we were given this gift, the ability to change and experience everything to the fullest. We weren't _meant_ to be dragged down by a human that wants nothing more than to control us!" She shook her head sharply, spinning on him with eager eyes. Yami tracked her in his peripheral, fighting away the urge to snarl and lunge. Every muscle in his body was wired with tension. "You can't even have _sex_ with him for fear of breaking him. You have to constantly keep your human form so that he will not leave you for fear of the wolf. You offered to try to live as a human and he _rejected_ and _refused_ you, Yami. He is _nothing_ compared to you and yet you do not see it. He will _destroy_ you before he _ever_ accepts you."

She had used a nail to split his throat, he realized.

"You have no idea what you are even talking about, Anzu."

"But he doesn't have to be like this, Yami. You could make him beautiful and strong, like us. You can make him a lycanthrope. You could have everything you wanted together—that lifetime of devotion and love that ever wolf so desperately _craves_ —and all you would have to do is bite him. All you would have to do is _bite_ him, Yami. Your saliva can change his DNA and RNA. And then, next month, he will be exactly as we are. He could become what you _need_."

"He _is_ what I need!" Yami burst out, turning enough to take in more of her profile in his peripheral. She was furiously pacing, though she stopped short at his harsh tone. "And I would never—"

"You would never change him into a wolf without his consent? But you would let him try to change you into a human when that's not what you are or ever could be?"

"He never asked me to become a human! I offered—"

"He's a human, Yami. Humans are selfish. They push until you have nothing left to offer and they take and take and dig their little fingers in and tear you to pieces. And when you offer them your gift, they turn their backs on you."

Yami watched saliva drip heavily from her jaws, her teeth glittering with liquid. It fell with a sickening noise to the carpet. She was so far gone; his mind was reeling as he turned to face her more completely. He couldn't risk taking his eyes off her now. And if he could keep her eyes locked on his, there was a better chance of protecting Yugi.

"He isn't Seto."

"Don't you _dare_ speak his name!" the she-wolf roared, clenching the cup so tightly it shattered. Blood dripped to the floor. She didn't even blink at the addition of glass shards in her palm. Yami studied her; she didn't look as if she might lunge forward yet. "But, Yami, if you won't bother to change him, then I guess we will just have to do that other thing we talked about, huh, Yugi? Tell him what his second option is."

When Yugi didn't immediately respond, Anzu spun on him, snarling. The small teen blinked, then whispered, "She wants you to kill me."

"Kill you?" Yami repeated, breathless. The ache in his chest grew monumental now. His hands were almost shaking at his sides now. "Why?"

"You act as if this is any different form an initiation into the pack," Anzu snapped, all signs of companionship gone from her eyes. She was staring straight into his, her gaze full of hatred and glittering like gems. Her pupils were dilated, her irises darkened. Her voice was lowered into a snarl. "You take a human to the pack and they tell you the same thing. You have only two choices. They live or they die."

"You are not the pack," Yami said slowly, taking a small step forward. Anzu didn't seem to notice for the moment. "Yo have no right to dictate something like this."

"Why must you always pretend, Yami? You've thought about it before. Just like you've always thought about feasting on his bones. Don't be stupid and deny it."

He heard Yugi's heart skip a beat. His eyes flickered immediately over, stomach lurching. Of course he'd thought vaguely of what it would be like. He'd been unstable when he hadn't changed often enough. Instability could give even the most docile wolf the most horrid imagination.

He'd thought of how delicately Yugi's bones would crack. He'd thought of the taste of his blood. It would coat his tongue, soaking his senses. And he'd taste sweet and warm and make his entire belly hot. Yugi would twitch, going through spasms as he tore flesh and sinew to reach his bones.

And he knew Yugi knew this.

He knew what lay in his head when he leaned forward a certain way. He knew where Yami's mind went when he could see the knobs of his spine. He knew it all; Yami had told him more than once. And Yugi had accepted it, startled at first, but quick to try to understand.

"I love you," he mumbled, locking eyes with him. Yugi nodded slightly, clearly exhausted. The blood loss had not seemed too terrible at first. But he could only imagine the stress accumulation on top of that would cause enormous strain for the small teen. _I love you so much._

But he didn't think he had the air in his lungs at the moment to say that much.

"Do you even _see_ him, Yami?" Anzu snarled, voice growing infuriated once more. "He has no idea what you truly are, what being a lycanthrope _means_! He doesn't experience the same emotions as you, or the constant need for approval because of the fear that he might leave you!"

Yami flinched, feeling as if he'd been struck. Some part of him felt as if it were being clawed open, pulled apart so that he might be hollowed out. The pain made his head spin for a single second, heart aching so violently he didn't think he could breathe. His jaw twitched and he looked quickly away from Yugi again; the shock in his eyes, the clear question of whether he truly thought that, was so visible it made Yami want to tremble.

"You have spent so much time hiding yourself away from your own nature for him that you do not even recognize it anymore, do you? I know you are a predator. The _pack_ knows. We accept you. We _love_ you. But he can never do that for you. And it will _ruin_ you, Yami. Unless you can do something to save yourself from such pain. Change him so that he can finally understand. Or devour him as you have always wanted to. It is your decision what you do, Yami, but you will not make me stand by and watch you suffer like this. You and I both know we could easily be free of it _all_."

"Whether or not Yugi remains with me after this night, Anzu, he _will_ be alive And maybe that will be enough."

He was speaking through his teeth. Yugi could see, even through the haze coming over him, that he was losing his temper slowly but steadily. His eyes were growing darker and his jaw was clenched, his entire body so stiff he almost seemed to have stopped breathing.

"How disappointing," Anzu scoffed. She shook her head, rolling her eyes as if Yami were nothing more than a incompetent child. "Very well. I suppose that I shall be the one to do it, then."

Yami shoved her hard enough that the plaster cracked, caving in where her head collided with it. "You won't touch him."

"Oh, Yami. Think for a moment, won't you? You won't kill your pathetic human boyfriend who wishes to mold you into something you are not, but you would kill your own sister? Your own beta, who _you_ created?"

"You've outlived your welcome."

The words startled Anzu. She blinked wide eyes, surprised enough that she backed up a step. And then she burst out laughing. "Oh, beautiful. _Do it then_ , Yami. Kill me." She gestured around lazily, lips drawn back to show her teeth in an open sneer. "I dare you. But you should know I'm _far_ stronger than you are. But I'll hold perfectly still for you. I won't move at all and you can have the first attack. But you won't do it. You're too much of a damn coward."

Yami was statuesque for the longest time, staring at her. Yugi felt his eyes on his face for a single second before they flickered back. He didn't make eye contact with him, as if afraid to, and then he lunged. Anzu was still for a second. Then she dodged out of the way. The snarl that left Yami's throat was hideous, guttural and so low that it made the air quiver. Yugi could see his spine tightening beneath his clothing. His mouth was already growing longer. His nails had become thicker, darker, folding inward and sharpening. He was so close that Yugi could smell the crushed pine scent that Yami had always possessed. Yami was clearly trying to stay a few inches away from him, to give him room so as not to jostle him. He moved to the armrest, pressing forward and then pushing violently off the piece of furniture towards her.

Anzu was laughing. Then she hiccuped, startled away. His leap sent him flying into the wall. Fur burst through his skin, clothing dropping in shreds. The rapid fire of his bones popping beneath his skin set Yugi's blood on fire. Tension sprang into his spine, making him tremble briefly. His eyes grew wide, looking at him. He was half human, half wolf. The boy's body had twisted in a way that was unnatural, hunched and hideous.

The upper half of his body was canine. His eyes were sharp, almond-shaped, blacked drastically. But his lower was still going through the Change even as he sprang forward. His knees cracked and broke. His tailbone lengthened. His nails created thick grooves in the surface of the coffee table. The wood seemed to crack and splinter. His jaws were stretched, opened wide. Slavering, the long strands of saliva and foam pooled from each end of his teeth.

Every strand of fur on his body was raised in a bristle. His tail was upright, like a war flag. His head rose. His jaws chomped shut violently. Yugi breathed roughly. The wolf launched himself forward. The table cracked and tore. It splintered beneath the force of his leap. Anzu twisted out of the way. Yugi watched as she sprang forward.

Her Change was faster than Yami's. She was silver and white, without a defining feature sans her eyes and the black of her ears. She was smaller, leaner. Her entire body was wired with tension. And, as the two of them sprang forth, Yugi struggled for his feet.

He took off for the stairs.

They slammed into each other. He heard them snarling. Teeth snapped. Blood dripped.

Yugi stumbled on the stairs. He nearly fell face first. The sound of their snarls made his brain rattle. His stomach twisted. His skin was burning. He caught himself on the banister. He didn't look back. He made his way quickly down the stairs. Blood pooled in his mouth. He stumbled, nearly tripping. He smacked into the bottom door of the staircase.

Shakily he grasped the knob. He pulled himself more fully to his feet. Then he drew in a deep breath. He made for the back door. The wolves crashed violently over his head. A piece of furniture was split in half. The snarls were hideous and vicious. One of them yelped. There was a brief scream. One of them was thrown into the wall.

Yugi breathed in hard. He couldn't think of who was winning. He couldn't waste his time doing that. It would lead to disaster.

He struggled to unlock the back door. His mind seemed to falter, shattering. His hands were slippery with sweat. His palms burned against the brass of the knob. His fingers shook as he tried to twist it. He turned it weakly, shakily. The metal rattled, shaking in his grip. He shoved it open awkwardly, fumbling. His head swam.

He collapsed as his vision grew shattered and strange. It was unsteady, blurred. The door broke from upstairs. A brief scream ripped through the air. The second door was thrown off its hinges. Yugi struggled to scramble to his feet. He used the door to support his weight. He _prayed_ for balance.

His legs buckled, but did not collapse.

Shaking, he refused to look over his shoulder. He threw the door open. Then he scrambled out to the small porch.

Nails clicked. And he knew somehow, instinctively, who it was. He did not turn around to see them. Instead he stumbled down the two small steps, nearly collapsing.

It came in a flash.

Yugi still did not turn to meet it.

He stumbled to his feet. The other wolf was giving chase now. The sound of their claws pronounced their rapid speed. The ferocious snarl made his head spin. The two animals collided once more. And the time this bought him was just enough to give him strength to move again. But his balance was off. His vision was growing splotched. Silver, white and clouds of black swept through his eyes.

He couldn't suppress his dizziness. He knew of no way to keep himself from falling over. He could not keep his balance.

His knees buckled. He fell over. He twisted, struggling for some sense of equilibrium. His stomach fell as he looked over his shoulder.

Anzu was there. She was balanced atop the railing like a cat. Every one of her large paws was perfectly balanced atop the wood. Against the light from the house, she looked like a large cat. It was only her elongated muzzle and heavier body mass to correct such an assumption.

Yami had been thrown aside in some brief second of opportunity. But he was horribly wounded. He was bleeding from multiple places. His fur was completely caked down. And, as Yugi looked at him, it was clear. Yami was not likely to win this fight.

The silver and white wolf launched herself at him. Self-preservation told him to run.

But some part of him had settled into a strange sense of bliss. Calmness enveloped his insides completely. His heart lost its rapid beat. His cold sweat seemed to disappear entirely. His breathing grew calmer. Acceptance swept through him as if in irony.

She collided with him with all the strength of a bulldozer. He hit the ground with pain he had never known. His head felt as if it had been split. The concrete path had to be drenched in blood. His entire body went slack with pain. He nearly missed it as her teeth dug into his throat. He could feel blood on his skin. It pooled upwards, but it felt foreign. It was like experiencing something drip warmly against his neck like rainwater.

But it seemed disconnected. He felt as if he saw someone else in his place.

Anzu let out a snarl against his throat. Yugi could see them despite the strain in his eyes. The angle was awkward. His eyes burned. But he could see them.

Yami had come forward. Despite the numerous wounds and limp he sported. Every one of his teeth was posed and opened. His jaw was stretched as wide as it could go. Anzu spun to face him. The scream ripped out before Yami made contact.

But his aim was precise. He remembered the serow for a second. But this was a thousand times more ferocious. The intent to kill was clearer than even when he had witnessed him hunt. Anzu saw it as well, he knew. She was trembling before Yami got to her.

His teeth cut into her throat easily. Every bit of power was focused in his jaws. Yugi listened as sinews tore. Bones cracked. Muscles shredded. He could heart each vein as it severed. Tendons popped, ripping.

A thud pronounced her severed head. The dull weight of her body fell seconds later.

Blood dripped in rivulets. Yami landed hard. He collapsed on his side a step away. And Yugi could hear him panting for breath even as his vision began to fade.

He heard him when he struggled to his feet. His whimpers made his heart ache. And he heard him as he stumbled forward. He heard him nearly collapse beside him again. The air seemed to tremble. He could feel him when he leaned forward. His breaths were harsh, shallow, against his skin. His pelt brushed against his arm as Yami panted and whined.

But he couldn't fell anything past that. His senses failed him, his heart stopping.

* * *

The predominantly black wolf was lying on its side, so scrawny that each bone in its body was visible. Its coat was ragged, missing clumps in certain areas altogether. Its face had grown sunken, its eyes seemingly too large for their sockets as they opened briefly to stare at him. Heavily malnourished, it could not even get up or raise its head. But the breaths it let out were harsh and came in ragged currents like cynical laughter.

He could hear him in his head now and he flattened his ears at the sound of his voice.

 _And now you mock me as I lay dying_.

 _You're not going to die,_ he answered softly. He trotted forward a few steps, pressing himself against the stone on the bank. The water was high, the ice having melted since the end of winter had come. It was not too dangerous a leap, but the water had always been rather deceptive. He remembered its shallow appearance before. Yet, it had been so deep that it had come up to his neck when he'd padded into the midst of it. Finding a stone upturned and with grooves, somewhat smooth but easy for him to grip with his toes, he pressed his paws together at the top and bunched his muscles. He pushed with all the strength his body possessed. Then he launched himself like a rocket with the strength that rippled in his body.

He landed easily on the other stones directly before him. It would have been a much easier feat had he turned back and run forward to do so. He'd learned that he could clear up to fifteen feet in a single leap with a running start, a horizontal jump that put most animals to shame. But he had not been eager to take his eyes off the other wolf. After tracking him for a whole month and rarely finding a trail to follow, it made him increasingly reluctant to turn away.

He'd been following him for what had seemed a lifetime, and the darker-furred wolf had made him work for it. Every time he'd spotted him, the wolf had seemingly disappeared without a trace. More than once they'd crossed paths in which the other had lunged at him, startling him away. He'd bid his time, waiting out much of it, as the darker-furred wolf had slowly but surely deteriorated once more. And then the wolf had considered him nothing more than a phantom. He'd sometimes look over his shoulder and spot him and rush off and other times he would simply watch him and even wait for him to trail along after him.

He trotted forward a few steps, stopping in front of it and pricking his ears forward. He had long since grown used to the sensation of dirt beneath his calloused toes, leaving beautiful prints that looked as splendorous to him as the grandest building set against sunlight. His nails touched the earth, giving a more solid print, and he settled to sit on the ground in front of him. Passing his tongue along his jaws and looking over his shoulder slowly, he could hear a few serows passing through.

Hunting would be easy enough. It was the task of making the other wolf actually _eat_ that would be far harder.

He returned hours later, dragging the carcass along by its neck. Then he dropped it in front of the other. He had a feeling that the other wolf was too tired to take a bite. Since the darker-furred canine had last lost him in the mountains, he'd shed more than half of his remaining weight. He'd failed to eat or drink for weeks. And then, as he had struggled to find him again, he'd realized that the wolf might not be alive. He could have starved to death in the time that it had taken him to find him. And, in truth, the sight of the wolf had not inspired much hope when he'd found him.

He had been laying there, on his side, in the sun, eyes shut tightly and flanks heaving for air. He'd _dragged_ him forcefully into the shade, ignoring it when the wolf had bitten and snapped at him as violently as he could manage. But the jaw pressure was meager, like a puppy nipping at his skin.

The wolf was lying there, watching him now. He wagged his tail, picking at the stomach of the serow and tearing it into shreds. He risked a glance at him again, the dark-furred wolf studying him and closing his eyes again a few moments later. He dug his teeth into the skin of his stomach, tearing it open. He picked at the organs, chewing and half-ingesting them. The smell of blood and marrow cause the darker-furred canine to rouse slightly. The malnourished canine struggled to roll onto his stomach, sniffing and peering at him in confusion.

A moment of silence passed between them. The other's sunken eyes burned into his. The wind made the leaves rustle. The wolf's ears flickered as he raised his head, sniffing once more. His eyes fell away to stare down at the carcass, but an attempt to get to his feet failed. And, when he collapsed, he didn't bother to try again.

He came forward, to the dark-furred canine. He opened his mouth wide, lowering his muzzle to the ground, and heaved. Half-digested meat came forward, choked up, resting on the ground in front of him. It was like feeding a puppy, he realized, and the thought made him want to smile in amusement.

The irony was not lost on him.

 _Eat up, Yami,_ he instructed, turning to him and wagging his tail. _You're going to need all the strength you can get._

Yami stared at him for a long minute. He was unfocused, but he still seemed to be memorizing his features for a moment. Then his mouth began to water, drool slipping from his lips. And he stretched his neck out, lapping at the regurgitated meat. He took a seat in front of him, lying stretched out beside him, and turned his attention to the rest of his catch.

It took two months of feeding him in this manner for Yami to finally regain his strength enough to follow him to hunts. Of course, Yami was not allowed to do more than watch—he'd dug his teeth into his skull into his skull viciously several times to strike in this point—but he had followed and watched and waited.

The other wolf was an excellent hunter, capable of easily picking out any serow or deer unlucky enough to cross paths with them. He would join him at the kill, his companion taking the first few bites as the alpha between them, and then Yami would eat as much as he could afterwards. His companion would insist on it, wait until he was done, and then eat his fill as well.

It took another two months for the other to finally allow him to hunt with him. But it was easier for him in the way they partnered for the task. His companion would chase the ungulates straight to him in an ambush fashion. Yami would wait in a grove of trees near the river or near the cliffs and he would leap out, scaring it. He would catch it by the throat while the gray wolf would catch its hind leg nearest him to keep it from thrashing too hard. Yami would crush the windpipe and the other wolf would allow him to eat his fill, then do the same. And more than once he'd dragged leg bones to him, split down the middle and plentiful with the marrow inside.

 _You know, the last person that stuck around with me got killed,_ Yami murmured one morning.

The river was rippling softly, the air warm and oppressive. His companion was laying a few feet away, licking ath is paws to get rid of some of the water from the small swim they'd taken to get across. Dark blue eyes slowly flickered and lifted, staring at him before his head slowly turned to look at him curiously.

 _Oh_? _And what happened to them_?

Yami huffed, settling back on his haunches. He turned away briefly, staring at the water. His ears flattened against his skull, a whine creeping out of his lungs. _The person that I bit started eating people because the human she fell in love with_ … _rejected her when she showed him what she was. She came after me because I was_ —am— _still in love with him. I thought things could work out. We were having slight trouble with; the situation wasn't typical. And then she heard me talking to my parents about him. I was really scared that we wouldn't work and I was asking for advice. She overheard and went after him because I was upset._

Yami snorted, then turned to him bitterly, laughing aloud. His voice came out weak, shattered, and he flattened his ears against his skull. _His name was Yugi. He wound up getting his throat torn out by her because I couldn't kill her when I should have_ , he admitted weakly.

His companion nodded slightly, studying him. _So, then she killed him_?

Yami looked away, bristling. He could barely talk, his chest aching at the memory. He had never truly engaged his companion in conversation before. And the other wolf sounded gravelly more often than not when he spoke, as if he had damaged cords of some kind and couldn't quite produce his voice.

_I tried to help him. I even bit him. I tore his wrists open to infect him. I even crushed his arm to try to infect his bone marrow. It did not help him. And someone had called the police when they heard my beta scream. I had to flee before they got to the back porch and spotted us. But his heart had already stopped a long time before then and he wasn't breathing anymore. Blood loss had probably done a lot of damage as well. I don't think he ever had a chance to actually survive to begin with._

There was a long minute of silence. Then his companion got up, shaking himself out, and came forward a step. His head lowered, tilting to the side, and his eyes narrowed. _And that's why you decided to rot to death in the woods_?

Yami turned his head, peeling his lips back. _I don't have a reason to live without him._

His companion stayed quiet for a long minute. Then he sighed softly and flicked his ears. _His heart started back up,_ he murmured, voice slow and cautious, and when Yami narrowed his eyes, the wolf licked at his paws again. _They managed to shock his heart back into beating. They gave him blood transfusions to make up for the loss. Twelve transfusions were necessary, because his body rejected them. His cells had already begun mutating to make up for the losses and cold not infect the blood fast enough to keep it from being destroyed. They had to keep him for a whole month in the hospital, because he would not be able to even walk properly. When he was let out, the first thing that happened was the Change. And it took another month, but he learned to control it._

Yami spun on him, snarling and jumping to his feet. Every fur on his body was bristling with fury. _What the fuck are you talking about_? he spat. He raised his tail, showing off his teeth, and a string of saliva bubbled from his jaws, dripping past his incisors like drool. _I'm not interested in your fairytales, you bastard._

The other wolf tilted his head, flicking an ear dismissively. He got to his feet after a moment as well. _You really don't recognize me then, Yami_? His head tipped further and his tail wagged slightly, held parallel with his spine. It was a suspicious and uneasy, defensive posture rather than anything else, signaling that he needed to calm down before this turned into a fight.

 _I suppose I should have suspected my mind might splinter so far,_ Yami sneered. He turned away, dropping his tail and taking a seat. He shook himself out again. _I came to the woods to die and you prevented that. I didn't want to live without him and now you're using that against me._

His companion was quiet for a long handful of seconds. _You hesitated to kill her because she was a pack member,_ he said loudly, more insistently.

The gravelly tone grew somewhat harsher, but the tone was gentle and Yami recognized the smallest touch of a timbre he had not heard in what felt forever. He'd forced himself to all but forget Yugi's voice before then, because he knew if he didn't, he'd remember Yugi telling him he loved him and that might have had _just_ enough of a hold on him to keep him alive. Because he'd known somewhere in the back of his mind that Yugi would never have wanted him to die, not because he had given up; he would have hated that more than anything.

 _Your sister, your beta. You wanted to save him; of course you did. But she was your sister. She was family to you. No matter how much you loved him, you could never just end her life like you needed to before that moment._ Yami turned his head, studying the other wolf as he continued speaking. His tail had dropped, ears pricked forward, blue eyes darker where he'd half-closed them. _I know that, Yami. I realized it while I was still in the hospital. I thought at first, when I saw what you'd done to my arm, that you had tried to eat me before you got run off by the police. And for a moment I honestly thought you never cared about me._

He narrowed his eyes, curling his lips back further. _Stop talking,_ he snapped. _You don't even know_ —

 _It was the opposite, though, wasn't it, aibou_? He was louder now, voice cutting over his own. Yami startled, surprised by the intensity of his words now. The wolf wagged his tail slowly. _You did not want to eat me, but to heal me. And I remembered what you said about bone marrow. And I knew that you didn't care too little for me, but too much about her._

Yami bristled, stunned by his words. He was so insistent, his eyes full of determination, and the way he peered back at him was so familiar that his heart threatened to stop in his chest. His lungs felt tight and painful and his body ached with tension.

The wolf was a light gray, brows a soft silver and the stops light brown like the hair atop his slender muzzle. Light gray and silver made a beautiful loop along the bottom of each eye, swirling outwards to a soft upward angle that stretched downward and coated the outer tufts of his wider, fluffier cheeks. Black blossomed along the center of his forehead in stray strands, flowing upwards to soft bright brown ears, filled with long silver and white strands curled in the cartilage. His legs were pure, solid white, with a single splotch of black along his wrist joints.

Chocolate brown curled into gray and black along his shoulder blades, pronouncing the curve of his bones, with a strange upside down outward curl of black that framed the muscles there. His dorsal cape had taken on a bright cinnamon shade which shone brilliantly in the sunlight and shimmered when he moved but hid itself beneath long guard hairs when he was still. His saddle was dark gray, with hints of black and small splashes of brown and cinnamon, disappearing towards his back legs but curving downward to outline the shape of his bones.

A small layer of gold and tan coated the very back of his hind quarters and the hocks. His tail was colored the shade of a brilliant star, with traces of bright silver and gold, and a tiny patch of tan, with the tip a solid black that stretched upwards in a single line of color to connect to the saddle of his back.

Yami stared at him, studying his face. In another situation, such blatant eye contact would have been a challenge. In that moment, however, the gray wolf wagged his tail and blinked bright eyes at him. Yami's skin crawled, twitching beneath his fur. Realization crept through him, his heart hammering in his chest.

He could see the bursts of dark violet now, though at first his eyes had seemed uniformly sapphire blue formerly. Now, however, he could see the sharp spikes of purple colors in his irises, rounding the layers of blue around his pupils and outer irises. The almond shape of them made his eyes all the more noticeable now that he was focused upon them.

He whined before he could stop himself. The other wolf wagged his tail more excitedly. He pressed his ears against his skull, lowering his head, and Yami sank downwards until his legs were flat upon the earth. His limbs could not support him any longer. His fur bristled, rising and falling in shudders as if he were going through spasms. He stared at him blankly, unsure of how to even breathe at the moment.

The other wolf wagged his tail rapidly, opening his jaws akin a beautiful smile. A soft pink tongue curled over his incisors, a sign of pure adoration.

 _Y-you…y-you're alive_ …

Yugi nodded, stretching his neck out to run his tongue over his forehead. He licked between his ears, momentarily looking over his dark fur. For a second, Yugi looked as if he might be tempted to bathe him, though the river was right there and he could leap in at any moment should he need to. But then he pulled back after a moment, plopping down in front of him and wagging his tail furiously once more.

 _And the best part is that I'm_ not _ridiculously insane_ — _mostly because you're alive and I finally managed to find you, but still._

Yami nodded in a jerky motion that said he was still in shock. He blinked rapidly several more times. Yugi could see that he looked skeptical. He blinked wide red eyes up at him again slowly, searching his eyes. He swallowed hard, flanks shaking as his pelt rolled over his body with twitchy jerks of satisfaction and wonder, of fear and confusion. He was beautiful. Yugi thought he looked as beautiful then as he had the first time he'd seen him hunting. And he remembered abruptly the way they had met the first time at school, how Yugi had crashed into him when he was trying to chase Jonouchi to the gym for class. Yami had been easygoing about it, startled and mildly confused by his explanation, but when they'd locked eyes, Yugi had been unable to turn away for what had felt like hours. His eyes had struck him, held him there, enraptured, as the sunlight touched his irises and made them a million different shades.

The darker-furred wolf trembled again, then scooted a little closer, sniffing at him. Yugi wagged his tail in invitation, then leaned forward to allow him to press his nose into his cheek. Yami whined pathetically; he smelled as he always had. He smelled of life itself—wind and earth and summer, the sun and moon, with a touch of fire and ice. There was a hint of cinnamon and chocolate. There was the faintest touch of leaves stirring in the wind. And then there was that one special thing that Yami had never been able to give a name beyond it being _Yugi_. It throbbed with a nighttime rhythm, and it dazzled his senses like fire burning before his eyes. It was as clear as courage, and it flowed like a river with the strength of burning flames and the crackle of lightning splitting a dark sky. It was moonlight and stars and the vastness of the galaxies overhead and the power to place hope and beautifully strong will into a single task. It was as sweet as freedom, and as satisfying as home.

Yugi walked over to him now, tossing himself sideways to roll atop him. Yami growled softly in amusement as Yugi twisted faintly and opened his jaws. His tongue fell against the roof of his mouth, panting playfully and wagging his tail once more.

Yami turned to him again. His nose pressed into his shoulder, breathing in deeply. When he nipped his flank lightly, Yugi retaliated with a soft bite to his muzzle. For a long moment they looked at each other. Yami was still disoriented with the reality of the situation. And then he wagged his tail happily, running his tongue along the curve of his flank. He wasn't sure how Yugi had found him—whether it was by scent or using the connection that came with being bitten—but either way he was there.

Despite the incident that had happened before, looking straight into those familiar blue-violet orbs, he thought that perhaps they would be able to make it past everything that had already happened. They could stay together and face whatever it was that rested ahead of them.

**Author's Note:**

> Any feedback is welcomed; this was written as a test run for the lycanthropes in Shadows That Bleed.  
> Some quick notes:  
> Anzu did not hold still due to survival instinct (they're extremely strong in werewolves, regardless of species). She dodged because of this rather than staying completely still. If she had not known that Yami would kill her, she would have done as she'd said and stayed still.  
> Yami allows Yugi to feed him like a pup because he's hopeful and due to survival instincts. He also fears how far his mind has splintered and so he could not tell reality from fantasy at that moment. His instincts at that point boiled down to hunger, which was ignored to the point of collapsing as he had. Seeing as he's a common Half-Blood, he would have died had Yugi not been there.  
> Yugi's voice is damaged due to Anzu ripping his throat out formerly. With a few more Changes, however, it would heal completely due to regenerative features. That's also why Yami did not entirely recognize his voice at first when they were talking.  
> The Alpha-Beta Connection Anzu mentions has to do with wolves bitten (beta) and the biter (alpha). The connection is a complicated bond between the two of them. This remains as ranks singularly between them. In Shadows That Bleed (and this story technically, but it's not meant to be a huge detail), the alpha suffers any pain they inflict on the beta which saves the beta's life should they turn on them. So, Yami attacking Anzu caused him physical pain as well. In turn, the alpha has the Alpha Command, which stunts their willpower and forces a beta to do the alpha's wishes. However, with Anzu's disregard of him and Yami regarding her as someone he needed to kill rather than try to save, he lost his ability to assert this ability. Her instability made it impossible as well, even if he HAD thought to use it against her. The mental ability in the one-shot is exaggerated as well; Yugi and Yami would not be able to talk so easily between each other had they been in STB.  
> That's the main differences between the wolves in here and there, in case anyone was wondering.  
> In most of my werewolf stories, they would not be drawn to their potential mate in a negative manner as Yami was in this story. Anzu's case would make it entirely different, as she was too far gone to care. But Yami was unstable at his lack of changing as often as he did before he and Yugi began to date.  
> Yami in this story did not want to hurt Anzu due to his former friendship with her and their companionship before Anzu began to date Seto and pulled away from him so entirely. He also was afraid of the influence of the connection between them, even though this was not prominent in the story. He also did not want to do this due to the fact that he knew Yugi still loved her before then and some part of him wanted to be able to let Yugi have his best friend back.


End file.
